“Hierarchical nanofibre constructs for tissue regeneration”
Dr. Jonny Blaker
Research Area Lead for Biomedical Materials, Henry Royce Institute, and Senior Lecturer in Biomaterials at The University of Manchester, United Kingdom
12th January 2023 – 14.00 h
FAU Institute of Biomaterials, Building II, Ulrich-Schalk-Str. 3, 91056 Erlangen
Abstract: It is a challenge to deposit nanofibres into hierarchically ordered and graded materials that are representative (morphologically and mechanically) of target tissues, and enable stimulation and repair. Solution blow spinning has emerged as a disruptive nanofibre spinning technology that enables the rapid deposition of fibres and does not require the use of electric fields. Stimulatory fibres can be produced from materials that are electrically conductive – under investigation for peripheral nerve tissue regeneration, piezoelectric materials, as well as bioactive glasses/hybrids for therapeutic ion delivery.
Fibre spinning is combined with automated collection devices to enable the deposition of aligned fibres with specific orientations (e.g. mimicking the +/- fibre angle arrangements observed in blood vessels). Acellular or cell-laden hydrogel layers can be intercalated between reinforcing fibre layers to build up multi-layer hierarchical constructs (e.g. tubes).
It is a further challenge to replicate some of the biochemical patterns indicative of natural extracellular matrix (ECM) signalling that occurs through gradients and spatial localization. To address we apply photo-click chemistry to tether bioactive moieties to nanofibre structures. This system can serve as a basis for testing cell response to tethered signalling sites and other stimuli at the fibre/fibre-mat level.
