The College of Engineering received a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a biodegradable medical stent.

Traditional stents are made of anti-corrosion polymers or metals such as stainless steel, but the permanent presence of these stents can cause problems such as the re-narrowing of an artery or other large blood vessel, and clotting.

"Our stents will be made of a new zinc-based biomaterial that provides strength, biocompatibility and full biodegradability that matches the body's natural healing process," says Donghui Zhu, associate professor of biomedical engineering.

The stents also will be more cost-effective because they will decrease the likelihood that patients will need a replacement stent, tissue graft or bypass surgery.