Project description
Novel biomaterials for tissue engineering
Aliphatic polycarbonates are compounds that contain the chemical group -O-C(O)-O- in a non-aromatic structure. Recent years have seen a resurged interest in these molecules due to advancement in their production. Their attractive features include biocompatibility and acid-free degradation, rendering aliphatic polycarbonates ideal for biomaterials as they don’t cause tissue inflammation. Moreover, they can be functionalised and can thus serve as implants and drug vehicles. The EU-funded PhotoPolyCarb project is working on a 3D printing approach that uses aliphatic polycarbonates to generate biomaterials for tissue engineering purposes. The approach constitutes a step closer to the development of tailor-made implants, which have the potential to improve the patients’ health and quality of life.
Objective
Over the past years, aliphatic polycarbonates (APCs) have gained prominence in the biomedical field in reason of their features allied to their in vivo bioresorbability. Unlike polyesters, the degradation products of APCs are acid free, which prevents tissue inflammation and drug denaturation upon their use as implants and drug vehicles, making them a potential material in the medical field. Simultaneously, the 3D printing of biomaterials has recently advanced the development of tailor-made implants, which can improve the patients’ health and quality of life. However, the translative impact of 3D printing to clinical use is still beset with limitations, including the brittle nature of the properties of materials that are available, the crosslinking chemistries that hinder translation into cell-laden biomaterials and toxicity of residual monomers and additives. PhotoPolyCarb aims to overcome these limitations by combining functional photoreactive polycarbonates from different topographies with stereolithography (SLA), thus avoiding the use of toxic monomers and photoinitiators during the printing process. In a transfer of knowledge, PhotoPolyCarb will bring together the expertise of the researchers in areas such as chemical engineering reactions (from the applicant), polymer chemistry (from the host) and bioengineering (from the secondment). The fellowship will permit the applicant to work with world-renowned research groups in the field of biomaterials and tissue engineering, allowing her to develop skills in an interdisciplinary environment and consolidate her career. The dissemination of research results will target the professional audience as well the public through outreach activities.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologytissue engineering
- natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciences
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringadditive manufacturing
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterials
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologyimplants
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
B15 2TT Birmingham
United Kingdom