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Promising researcher travelling to International Conference on Biofabrication in Wurzburg, Germany

Thursday 13 September 2018 11:27am

Cesar Alcala Orozco planning his travel to the 2018 Biofabrication Conference in Wurzburg (2018)Cesar Alcala Orozco planning his travel to the 2018 Biofabrication Conference in Wurzburg (2018).

Otago’s PhD candidate, Cesar Alcala Orozco, is one of eight talented students internationally who’ve won travel awards from the International Society of Biofabrication. The award is offered to promising student-researchers to encourage their participation in the International Conference in Wurzburg, Germany, and to support their growing careers in Biofabrication.

“I feel honoured to have received the award, and the travel award will certainly help off-set the cost of getting to Germany”. Cesar is the sole recipient travelling from the southern hemisphere.

Just days before learning of his ISBF travel award Cesar was celebrating his successful application for a University of Otago travel award. “Together the two awards will just about cover my needs. It’s great to have the support of both the university and the ISBF”.

Cesar is currently completing his PhD with the Christchurch Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering (CReaTE) Research Group attached the University of Otago’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Medicine.

In his doctoral studies he is investigating nanocomposite biomaterials used in the biofabrication of 3D-printed bone constructs. He synthesizes novel nanocomposites and assesses them for their ability to signal cells during tissue development and for biological functionality.

Cesar is supervised in his doctoral studies by Associate Professor Tim Woodfield, Dr Khoon Lim, Professor Gary Hooper and Dr Isha Mutreja. “I’m thrilled for Cesar” says Professor Tim Woodfield. “He’s developing the dual competencies of ground-breaking research along with convincing funders of the worth of his efforts. It shows a promising research future for him.”