US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Microsphere Based Tissue Engineering

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0115595LaurencinDescription: This award is for support of a cooperative project by Dr. Cato Laurencin, Professor of Chemical Engineering, and Dr. Mohamed Attawia, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Drexel University, and Dr. Wafaa Ismail, Department of Ceramics at the National Research Center (NRC), in Cairo, Egypt. They plan to develop and study novel three-dimensional matrices useful for tissue engineering of bone. These matrices, developed at Drexel and based on polymeric microspheres, demonstrate the ability to allow for attachment and growth of bone in vitro and cellular ingrowth in mineralization in vivo. Work by researchers at the NRC has demonstrated the ability of chitosan to support the growth and phenotypic expression of osteoblasts and other mesenchymal cells. Recent research for the modifications of chitosan chemistry and chitosan complexation resulted in new materials with ranges of physicochemical properties. The investigators plan to study microsphere based matrices for tissue engineered matrices made from chitosan and microsphere based matrices for tissue engineering using degradable polymeric materials combined with chitosan based complexes. Scope: This award will permit collaboration between US and Egyptian scientists who have complementary capabilities and research experience in polymers and biomaterial. The two US scientists are eminent in their field and are highly published in areas related to the problem. The Egyptian collaborator is an active researcher with skills and expertise in ceramics, polymers, and biomaterials. One US student and one Egyptian student will participate in this research and will gain experience from the international collaboration. The research topic is of broad interest both to the materials science (especially biomaterials) community and to the medical science community. This proposal meets the INT objective of increasing international scientific collaboration in areas of mutual benefit. The project is supported by the Division of Bioengineering and Environmental Systems and the Division of International Programs.