Project description
Platelet-derived bone grafts
Guided tissue regeneration is a procedure developed to aid restoration following injury or disease when inherent processes fail. For bone or joint grafts, biomimetic scaffolds are employed capable of differentiating and integrating into the natural bone. The EU-funded InterLynk project is working on novel 3D scaffolds that can generate bone-like and fibrous structures and also incorporate drugs. These hydrogel composites will consist of human plasma-derived platelet lysates activated by light as well as other biomechanical materials, offering great flexibility and performance. Importantly, they will overcome time-consuming and costly procedures and reduce immune rejection and rehabilitation time.
Objective
InterLynk aims to develop multi-tissue 3D patient-specific scaffolds by providing a portfolio of highly compatible and biofunctional composite inks and biomaterials, and streamlining their co-processing using an upgraded AM equipment. Unprecedented biofunctionality in the synthetic reconstruction of complex interfacial tissues is expected to be obtained. A double network photocrosslinkable biomaterial system based on human plasma-derived Platelet Lysates (PL) will be used as base matrix. The PL-based hydrogels will be further combined with mechanically reinforcing biomaterials, namely CaP-based bioceramics and PCL-LA polymers, to produce bone-like and fibrous structures, respectively, and will be able to be blended with natural drug carriers (flavonoid-loaded nanomicelles). Compositional and structural variations will be enabled by combining photo-assisted printing and MEW/ESP in a single-step hybrid AM process. New computational tools will support the mechanobiological optimization of all biomaterials and final parts, as well as the AM process design. Superior biofunctionality of the InterLynk’ scaffolds will be validated in an highly complex multi-tissue interfacial biosystem, the temporomandibular joint.
InterLynk will implement comprehensive strategies to engage key groups of stakeholders (clinical, engineering, regulatory and market-related) in the development of biological scaffolds, establishing a truly multidisciplinary co-creation process. These scaffolds are expected to have no counterpart in both fabrication and multi-tissue regeneration, avoiding time-consuming and costly procedures in both dimensions. This will increase current AM (bio)fabrication capabilities and application range, widely extending its use. Their high flexibility and unique performance will considerably reduce immune rejection, risk of contamination and, inherently, rehabilitation time of multi-tissue injuries resulting in increasing wellbeing and healthcare costs reduction.
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Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
3810-193 Aveiro
Portugal