Projects
Mechanical and rheological characterization of micro-tissues for tissue engineering KU Leuven
This PhD is focused on advancing bone tissue engineering by investigating chondrogenic organoids, which closely mimic the natural bone development process and have shown promise in enhancing tissue engineering outcomes. The project encompasses three main objectives: First, the characterization of mechanical and rheological properties of chondrogenic organoids and tissue spheroids using atomic force microscopy. Second, the measurement of ...
Mechanical stimulation and incorporation of tissue-specific endothelial cells for tissue engineering of human skeletal muscle KU Leuven
In our lab, we create bio-artificial muscles (BAMs) made up of human aligned myofibers in an extracellular matrix starting from the adult stem cells present in skeletal muscle. Despite advances in the field, its applications are still hampered by the limited mechanical strength, size and stage of maturation of the BAMs. This justifies the need for mechanically stronger tissue-engineered muscle. The theme of this project is focused on ...
Mechanical characterization of micro-tissues for tissue engineering KU Leuven
We will make use of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), a high-resolution technique that measures local mechanical forces from the deflection of a cantilever, and nanoindentation (NI). We will perform AFM and NI measurements on micro-tissues from adult progenitors (hPDCs and iPS) at different stages of chondro-genic differentiation. From AFM measurements, we will obtain the apparent visco-elastic properties of the multicellular material, as it ...
Frequency domain identification of quasi time-periodic systems with applications in the mechanical and biomedical engineering. University of Antwerp
Printable and injectable hydrogels with enhanced mechanical properties for applications in tissue engineering Hasselt University
Towards industry-oriented and applied research on mechanical engineering and mechantronics VIVES
Engineering biomimetic mechanically robust patient-specific CaP dental root scaffolds KU Leuven
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 ...
How do stem cells interact with their extracellular matrix mechanically and what are its mechanobiological implications for skeletal tissue engineering? A computational modelling approach informed by in-vitro experiments. KU Leuven
Engineering of Soft Matter with (Bio)Polymers: Development of multiphasic polymeric materials with diverse electrical functionalities using flow-induced microstructure engineering. KU Leuven
Due to rising consumer demands, enhanced functionality and miniaturization of many devices, material requirements become increasingly stringent and multiple characteristics are required within one material. Polymers have substantial advantages as compared to other materials, e.g. they are lightweight, flexible, easy to process and corrosion-resistant. However, most polymers are electrical insulators and have no electrical or magnetic ...