Formulation of osteogenic liposomes inspired by cell-derived vesicles

In the last decade, the field of extracellular vesicles (EVs) has rapidly expanded and is constantly unearthing new understanding of the role these nanoparticles play in various biological processes. Within developing bone, vesicles function as vehicles for the delivery of pro-osteogenic factors and initiate early nucleation events necessary for matrix mineralisation. This project will seek to understand the cargo transferred by vesicles that modulate bone regeneration. These mechanisms will then be used as inspiration to formulate synthetic liposomes that may be incorporated into biomaterials to enhance osteogenesis.
This studentship will involve delivering the following tasks for which full training will be given:
1. In-vitro cell culture of osteoblasts and stem cells to produce extracellular vesicles that may then be isolated using ultracentrifugation
2. Characterisation of vesicle size, cargo and lipid content using a range of different techniques
3. Observe the effects of different vesicle dosages on the proliferation and mineralisation of stem cells in-vitro
4. Formulate liposomes containing key vesicle proteins and characterise their physicochemical properties as well as influence of stem cell mineralisation
5. Incorporate optimised liposomes into injectable hydrogel biomaterials to enable localised delivery to bone defects