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Project

The development of novel bio-inks for the fabrication of a 3D-bioprinted construct for osteochondral tissue regeneration

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disease of the joints, causing joint pains and stiffness in knees and hips leading to a reduced mobility. The cartilage tissue on the joint surface can get injured due to
trauma, lifestyle or ageing. Since the tissue lacks healing pathways, the lesion can progress to underlying bone, forming an osteochondral (OC) defect. Nowadays, end-stage knee OA is treated
by a full-joint replacement, but the limited life span of a joint prosthesis (typically 10-20 years) is still a drawback for treatment of younger patients. To overcome this hurdle and anticipate to the
increasing ageing population, novel treatment strategies are essential. Recent advances in tissue engineering (TE) show the potential to regenerate and restore function of damaged tissues by
combining cells, biologically active molecules and a biocompatible scaffold in a cell-based construct. However, upscaling and reproducibility of those constructs remains a challenge. In this
project we aim to develop an OC construct via 3D-bioprinting, a technology using cell-laden bioinks to print a 3D-structure in a reproducible manner. Novel bio-inks will be developed according
to the biological and physiological needs of each tissue zone, followed by development of a biomimetic OC construct. After in vitro evaluation, the construct will be assessed for its capacity to
induce tissue formation in vivo. Our goal is to fabricate a robust and biomimetic TE-construct for osteochondral regeneration.

Date:1 Jan 2017 →  25 Mar 2017
Keywords:Tissue engineering
Disciplines:Laboratory medicine, Palliative care and end-of-life care, Regenerative medicine, Other basic sciences, Other health sciences, Nursing, Other paramedical sciences, Other translational sciences, Other medical and health sciences
Project type:PhD project