Biosensing scaffolds with hierarchical architecture for musculoskeletal repair

A key criteria to the success of any biomaterials based regenerative medicine therapy is the ability of new tissue, including vasculature, to fully penetrate the biomaterial allowing integration of the growing implant within the defect site and with surrounding tissue. The main aim of this project is to produce scaffolds which transform biomaterials from passive mechanical supports to active components of regenerative medicine. To achieve this, new 3D scaffold production approaches over multiple length scales that allow hierarchical to structures to be realised within a single scaffold will be explored. We have developed 3D printing techniques allowing the printing of highly porous microparticles with defined architecture. Such technology will allow us to construct porous microparticle based scaffolds with hierarchical architecture to control tissue ingress.
The production of biomimetic scaffolds which have bio-reporting capacity to provide feedback on tissue functionality in a non-invasive manner forms the second aim of this PhD project. Polymer synthesis strategies previously demonstrated in bacterial cells will be explored for exploitation with mammalian cells. Such polymers will be embedded within the 3D printed microparticles during fabrication to provide sensor molecules suitable for in situ SORS detection.