TiO2 foam-like scaffolds with pore size similar to 300 mu m and > 95% porosity were fabricated by the foam replication method. A new approach to improve the structural integrity of the as-sintered foams, which exhibit extremely low compression strength, was explored by coating them with poly-( d,l-lactic acid) (PDLLA) or PDLLA/Bioglass(A (R)) layers. The PDLLA coating was shown to improve the mechanical properties of the scaffold: the compressive strength was increased by a factor of similar to 7. The composite coating involving Bioglass(A (R)) particles was shown to impart the rutile TiO2 scaffold with the necessary bioactivity for the intended applications in bone tissue engineering. A dense hydroxyapatite layer formed on the surface of the foams upon immersion in simulated body fluid for 1 week.