SBIR Phase I: Development of a biological adhesive for the fixation and integration of cartilage implants

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响是，它将开发一种新的生物胶，以促进膝关节软骨愈合。伤害（例如，运动相关）或广泛使用导致恶化，因为软骨不愈合。对于修复植入物，包括移植物和工程移植物，将植入物固定到受损软骨中并确保其生长对于成功愈合至关重要。拟议的项目将开发一种先进的粘合剂与活细胞和其他生物添加剂，以积极鼓励植入物整合到相邻的软骨加速愈合。拟议中的项目将推进生物胶，以促进软骨愈合。具体而言，该项目将增加胶的粘性和厚度，使其性能与市售标准纤维蛋白胶相当或上级。该项目将：（1）探索生物胶中已经存在的活性细胞和分子软骨组分的生物添加剂，并将性能与纤维蛋白标准品进行比较;（2）在实验室模型中检查生物胶在四周内将软骨植入物固定到受损的天然软骨中的能力;以及（3）评估胶的耐久性和愈合。最终，预计该项目中开发的胶水将促进软骨植入物与天然软骨的固定和整合。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is that it will develop a novel biological glue to enhance knee cartilage healing. Injuries (e.g., sports-related) or extensive use leads to deterioration because cartilage does not heal. For repair implants, including transplants and engineered grafts, securing the implant into the damaged cartilage and ensuring its growth are critical for successful healing. The proposed project will develop an advanced adhesive with live cells and other biological additives to actively encourage integration of the implant into adjacent cartilage for accelerated healing. The proposed project will advance a biological glue to enhances cartilage healing. Specifically, this project will increase the stickiness and thickness of the glue to make its properties comparable or superior to fibrin glue, the commercially available standard. This project will: (1) explore biological additives to the active cells and molecular cartilage components already present in the biological glue and compare performance with the fibrin standard; (2) examine the biological glue’s ability to secure a cartilage implant into damaged native cartilage over four weeks in a laboratory model; and (3) assess the glue durability and healing. Ultimately, it is anticipated that the glue developed in this project will promote the fixation and integration of cartilage implants into native cartilage.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.