A partnership between a Notre Dame engineer and a neurosurgeon at Beacon Health System’s Memorial Hospital has led to a novel implant for spinal fusion surgeries. The product was named a Best New Spine Technology of 2023 by Orthopedics This Week.This implant has two important features—first, its porous structure allows bone to grow into it rather than around it. And second, its cell-friendly surface encourages bone to attach to it, creating a more robust, faster-healing graft.By the spring of 2025, it has improved outcomes for more than 600 patients with 1,200 implants.