Bougherara and her team are developing advanced composite materials that mimic bone. The composites could replace the metal currently used in joint implants or the rods and plates used to repair fractures, and could dramatically alter a patient’s knee or hip replacement experience. “We hope to improve quality of life for patients by extending the lifespan of an implant from 10 to 15 years to 25,” she says, “effectively eliminating the need for implants to be replaced in a patient’s lifetime.”

Bougherara’s work doesn’t stop there. Her composites could be adapted for use in the body of a car or the wings of a plane. And she’s already working on the next big step in orthopedic surgery: combining advanced composites with 3D printing technology. “Our goal is to enable the surgeon to scan the patient’s femur and 3D print a custom implant there and then.”