Zhang Xingdong is an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, as well as Honorary Director of U.S. National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials. He graduated from Sichuan University in 1960 and has been engaged in the study of biomaterials since 1983. Zhang is a specialist in bioceramics and has received numerous awards including the Chinese National Natural Science Award and the Chinese National Science and Technology Progress Award.

In 1991, Zhang found that porous calcium phosphate ceramic can induce the regeneration of bones. “To put it simply, doctors put calcium phosphate bioceramic into the patient’s body. Then, after a certain period of time, the ceramic dissolves and turns into new bone,” Zhang explained.

According to statistics, there are now over 100,000 patients that have used the bioceramic material Zhang and his group developed. Over 90 percent of artificial joints in China now utilize Zhang’s material coating technology. Though he is 78 years old, Zhang is still devoted to his biomaterial research and hopes to help more people in the future.