A07 | Fiber-reinforced hydrogels

The subproject deals with the bilateral task of improved shape fidelity and cell viability in biofabrication by applying fiber-reinforced hydrogels as bioinks. Thereby, fiber fragments which can be used both, as cell carriers and for matrix-reinforcement, are produced by electrospinning. Strikingly, the morphology of the fibers plays a significant role for cell behavior (adhesion, proliferation, alignment) as well as for the rheological and mechanical properties of the composite (flow behavior, spreading kinetics, strength), which will be investigated analytically within the project. The obtained results will allow for a systematic improvement of bioinks, which can furthermore be transferred to other materials.

Prof. Dr. Gregor Lang
Prof. Dr. Dirk Schubert

Prof. Dr. Gregor Lang

University of Bayreuth, Department of Engineering, Biopolymerprocessing
Contact: gregor.lang@uni-bayreuth.de

Prof. Dr. Dirk Schubert

Institute for Polymer Materials of the Material Science department
Contact: dirk.schubert@fau.de

David Sonnleitner

Previous academic education: Diploma Thesis
Academic Advisor within SFB/TRR 225: Prof. Dr. Gregor Lang
Location: University of Bayreuth, Department of Engineering, Biopolymerprocessing
Topic of thesis: Development and characterization of a new bioink-system based on fiber reinforced hydrogels.
Main techniques and methodologies to be used: Bioprinting, Electrospinning, Rheology Measurements, Tensile testing

Contact: David.Sonnleitner@uni-bayreuth.de

Stefan Schrüfer

Previous academic education: Master thesis
Academic Advisor within SFB/TRR 225: Prof. Dr. Dirk W. Schubert
Location: Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Lehrstuhl für Polymerwerkstoffe – LSP
Topic of thesis: Conductive PMMA/Silver Nanowire composites
Main techniques and methodologies to be used: Meltspinning, Micro-CT,  conductivity measurement, Mechanical and rheological material tests

Contact: stefan.schruefer@fau.de

Lang G (2019) Bio-selective bacteriostatic and fungistatic surfaces made of recombinant spider silk proteins, 9th biennial Australian Colloid and Interface Symposium (ACIS) 3 – 7 February 2019 (Hobart, Tasmania, Australia)

Sonnleitner D (2019) Poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) particle – hydrogel colloid system for enhanced cell interaction, 9th biennial Australian Colloid and Interface Symposium (ACIS) 3 – 7 February 2019 (Hobart, Tasmania, Australia)

Schrüfer S (2019) Rheology of alginates – some new insights, Scientific Seminar of the North Bavarian Biomaterials Alliance (NBBA), 21 February 2019 (Erlangen, Germany)

Schrüfer S, Himmler M, Schubert DW (2018) Shear rheology of nanofiber reinforced alginate solutions for bioprinting – establishing a basis , Jahrestagung der DGBM in Braunschweig 8-10 November 2018 (Braunschweig, Germany)

Florian Küng

Previous academic education: Ph.D. studies on “Development of a suture-able wound-cover based on aligned nano-fibers for corneal application”
Academic Advisor within SFB/TRR 225: Prof. Dr. Dirk W. Schubert
Location: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Lehrstuhl für Polymerwerkstoffe – LSP
Topic of thesis: Development of a suture-able wound-cover based on aligned nano-fibers for corneal application
Main techniques and methodologies to be used: Electrospinning, mechanical and rheological material tests