About the project
Scaffolds are important physical substrates for cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation, ultimately leading to the regeneration of tissues. This research aims to develop a novel multi-material functional gradient scaffold that mimics the natural bone and cartilage structure, promoting the regeneration of both, particularly the transition zone between the two.
Scaffolds must be designed according to specific requirements such as mechanical properties, surface characteristics, porosity, biocompatibility and biodegradability. Researchers are making every effort to push the performance of bone and cartilage tissue engineering scaffolds to the upper limit, however, in terms of mass production, mass personalisation, clinical adaption and commercialisation, there is still a long way to go. It needs the combined efforts of production engineers, material scientists, and clinicians.
Bone and cartilage present completely different mechanical and biological properties, with the transition zone between the two demonstrating a gradual progression. This directly leads to the difficulty in promoting the regeneration of both with a single scaffold, particularly at the transition zone. This research aims to provide a viable solution by addressing two key challenges:
- difficulty in precisely replicating the hierarchical gradient structure and functionality of the osteochondral transition zone
- satisfy the mechanical strength to support the bone layer while maintaining the flexibility required for the cartilage layer through a gradient change from hard and rigid materials to soft and flexible materials
This research seeks to advance the multi-material extrusion-based additive manufacturing technology and advanced biomaterials to meet the demand. A systematic approach to complete the scaffold design, fabrication characterisation, and personalization also needs to be explored.
