Prof. Inġ. Joseph Buhagiar is Head of the Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering and Associate Professor within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Malta. He obtained his B.Eng. (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Malta and completed his PhD in Plasma Surface Engineering and Characterisation of Biomedical Stainless Steels at the University of Birmingham (UK). He joined the University of Malta in 2004 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2016.
His research integrates biodegradable metals, orthopaedic device design, surface engineering and corrosion, bringing together materials engineering, biomedical engineering, and clinical translation. His work has appeared in leading international journals and spans alloy development, degradation behaviour and the design and optimisation of medical implants. He has led and collaborated on several research projects across biomaterials, additive manufacturing and orthopaedic innovation. Prof. Buhagiar serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Surface Engineering.
Prof. Buhagiar is co-inventor of the MaltaHIP unidirectional hip prosthesis, protected by patents in the EU, USA and India. The technology, developed at the University of Malta, has been licensed to Garland Surgical Ltd. (UK) and represents one of the University’s flagship successes in research commercialisation and knowledge transfer.
He is the current project leader of OsteoMag-3D, a Xjenza-funded Sino-Malta research initiative focusing on 3D-printed magnesium-based biodegradable orthopaedic scaffolds and their surface engineering for personalised therapy. His previous leadership roles include the BioSA and MaltaHIP-II projects, and his work has fostered sustained collaborations with clinical, industrial and academic partners.
As Head of Department, Prof. Buhagiar oversees strategic development in teaching, research and industrial engagement. Under his leadership, the Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering has significantly expanded its industrial services portfolio, reinforcing the University of Malta’s role as a national hub for materials engineering expertise.
Beyond academia, he has been Honorary Consul of the Republic of Colombia in Malta since 2013 and in 2018 was awarded the National Order of Merit (Knight Grade) in recognition for advancing academic and scientific cooperation between Malta and Colombia.
[1] OsteoMag-3D – Orthopaedic Biodegradable Mg-Based Scaffolds: 3D-Printed and Surface Engineered for Personalised Therapy Xjenza - SINO-MALTA Fund | 2025–Present | Grant Project Number: SINO-MALTA-2024-11 Project Value: €365,847 Project Partners: Mater Dei Hospital; Southeast University (China); Jiangxi University of Science & Technology (China)
[2] MaltaHIP-II – Development of a Small-Diameter Low-Wearing Hip Joint Prosthesis TRAKE – University of Malta | 2021–2024 | Grant Project Number: ERDF.01.124 Project Value: €131,181 Project Partners: Mater Dei Hospital; Empav Engineering Ltd.
[3] Biodegradable Iron for Orthopaedic Scaffold Applications (BioSA) Xjenza (formerly MCST) | 2018–2022 | Grant Project Number: R&I-2017-037T Project Value: €194,960 Project Partner: Mater Dei Hospital
Granted Patents
[1] A Prosthetic Implant Patent Number: EP3989885B1 (EPO); US12178706B2 (USA); 202217003814 (India) Priority Filing: 26 June 2019 Granted: 30 August 2023 (EPO); 31 December 2024 (USA); 12 August 2025 (India) Inventors: Pierre Schembri Wismayer, Donald Dalli, Joseph Buhagiar, Pierluigi Mollicone
[2] Process for Production of Metal Scaffolds and Foams – UK Patent Number: GB2611690B Priority Filing: 18 June 2020 Granted: 12 March 2025 Inventors: Joseph Buhagiar, Christabelle Tonna, Maurice Grech, Albert Curmi, Pierre Schembri Wismayer
[3] Additive Manufacturing Metal Part Surface Anticorrosion and Antifouling Composite Treatment Method – China Patent Number: CN114632949B Priority Filing: 18 April 2022 Granted: 16 December 2022 Inventors: Jian Chen, Xiyu Zhang, Zhiquan Huang, Mingyue Liu, Ann Zammit, Joseph Buhagiar, Glenn Cassar, Luana Bonnici, Kelsey Ann Vella, Martina Marie Pizzuto
