The work performed in the reporting period is described by referring to the work packages.
WP 1. Selection of sustainable materials sources and Biopolymers isolation sustainable protocols were achieved for all polymers selected (chitosan from crab, shrimp shells, collagen from squid, codfish skin, ovine tendon) and defined characterization methods, taking into consideration green chemistry, standardization.
GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) protocol for the standard production of local production of medical grade Bombyx mori silk was started and implemented in Rovereto (TN) Italy under the supervision of UNITN and Thai silk under the supervision of CU.
Definition and optimization protocol based on green chemistry to produce Demineralized Bone Matrix derived from the chicken was studied and written.
WP 2. The physical properties, cost, reproducibility, and absence of contaminants of the extracted chitosan and collagen of marine origin were evaluated. Hydrogels composed of hyaluronic acid, silk fibroin, and a blend of the two, functionalized with the natural chemical compound icariin were designed, developed, and characterized physically and biologically.
Silk fibroin-hyaluronic acid blends were also studied for 3D extrusion printing, through swelling and printability tests.
Hydroxyapatite (synthetic and biogenic from mussel shell sources) and methacrylate silk fibroin sponges were produced for bone scaffold applications.
Thus, Definition of the fabrication technology on the base of the material type selected in WP1 and considering their scalability and costs, setting up the selected fabrication methods enabling specific hardware requirements), Tuning and optimization of the fabrication conditions, and Fabrication of the prototype on the base of the intended final application and function, were faced during the first year of the project.
WP 3. it was achieved through the development of a survey of medicinal plants from Mongolian traditional medicine prescription, focusing on those species likely to be of importance in medicine, food, and nutrition products. The activity was indeed focused on the identification and evaluation of nature-derived molecules with pharmacological impact. This study was also useful to start working on Medicinal plants culture. The first steps were the Protocol design and Technology development were approached by studying the extract of Allium mongolicum Regel Regel (Asian wild onion) as a substrate for endothelial cells and new capillary assembling.
WP 4. The biological evaluation performed were done in in vitro cell culture by following selected and optimized protocols. Commercially available human cells were used. Samples were tested in particular to evaluate toxicity, cell adhesion and proliferation, production of extra cellular matrix (ECM) marker molecules. The in vitro testing/validation/upscale in ongoing.
