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Project

Development of calcium phosphate scaffolds for dentoalveolar tissue engineering

The overall aim of this project is to develop a novel tissue engineering approach for dental root tissue replacement based on immune-modulation through biomaterial surface functionalization. In a first step, CaP scaffolds with a customized geometry and tailored mechanical properties will be fabricated by means of 3D printing. Currently available additive manufacturing (3D printing) technologies used to produce customized CaP structures inherently introduce defects leading to inferior mechanical properties (brittleness). This is related to crack formation during the drying process or inconsistences and localized printing defects. Therefore, the 3D printing process of CaP materials will be optimized in order to overcome the current limitations, such as dimensional inaccuracy and manufacturing-induced flaws. In a next step, these CaP scaffolds will be functionalized by electrospinning to mimic the heterogeneous dentoalveolar tissue. CaP scaffolds resemble dentin and bone in their crystalline structure. However, single handed, these scaffolds fail to mimic the heterogeneous dentoalveolar tissue, especially at the tooth root–periodontal membrane–bone interface. Therefore, we aim to develop multilayered hybrid scaffolds consisting of a mechanically strong CaP scaffold (dentin replacement) coated with a fibrous polymer (periodontal membrane). Immune-modulated tissue regeneration will be approached using biomaterials electing M2 macrophage polarization (chitosan) and the encapsulation of chemokines.

Date:20 Oct 2021 →  7 Nov 2022
Keywords:Tissue Engineering
Disciplines:Tissue engineering
Project type:PhD project