SGER: Laser-Layered Microfabrication of Tissue Engineering Scaffolds with Spatially Distributed Microenvironments

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0313425RoyTissue engineering remains one of the most exciting promises of modern biomedical research. The concept of creating functional cellular structures to augment or replace diseased tissue in the body has being explored for almost a decade. The knowledge gained from fundamental biological and animal research on the effects of various growth factors and scaffold properties on adult and embryonic stem cells has opened new directions in organ regeneration. However, one of the fundamental limitations of current efforts has been the inability to produce hybrid tissue structures, in a pre-designed fashion, inside a single scaffold environment. Currently, most scaffolding techniques only allow incorporation of bio-factors "in bulk", i.e. factors distributed randomly throughout the matrix. Complex spatial patterning along with temporal distribution of multiple signaling molecules in the immediate microenvironment of stem cells, a hallmark of native tissue development has yet to be engineered and studied. In this exploratory project, the PI plans to test the feasibility of a versatile, laser-based, layer-by-layer fabrication process to create precise spatio-temporal distribution of bio-factors within 3D scaffolds and study their effects on stem cell differentiation into multiple lineages. The long-term goal is to engineer hybrid tissue structures. Aims for the one-year project are: 1) Develop a computer-controlled laser-layered polymerization setup to micro-fabricate complex, porous, hydrogel-like scaffold structures and 2) Study the ability of this setup to create (a) scaffolds with defined and spatially varying porosities and (b) spatial patterning of soluble bio-factors and polymer microparticles within these scaffolds.The successful development of 3D scaffolds with pre-defined physical and biochemical properties would advance tissue engineering by providing a platform technology applicable to a diverse range of tissue engineering and organ regeneration problems.