Smart Biomaterials for neural tissue engineering applications

该项目是拉夫堡大学一个雄心勃勃的5名学生博士培训中心的一部分，该中心位于脑芯片技术领域。目前迫切需要对神经退行性疾病进行研究，但我们对复杂的大脑回路缺乏了解，这限制了未来医疗保健策略的建模和评估。神经组织的细胞结构对其功能至关重要。任何未来的手术干预，以提供组织工程神经组织将需要确保操纵这种微妙的组织，而不损害细胞的活力或连接。细胞活力或组织结构的损害将影响任何此类再生医学方法的性能。该项目特别关注新型智能材料的开发，以确保支持和易于处理在3D中培养的高度组织化的神经元回路。方法还将研究这些材料用于递送组织（例如，递送至移植部位）的潜力，关注整个组织功能，而不仅仅是单细胞水平。

This project is part of an ambitious 5-student centre for doctoral training at Loughborough University within the area of brain-on-a-chip technology. There is an urgent need for research into neurodegenerative disease, however our lack of understanding of complex brain circuitry restricts modelling and evaluation for future healthcare strategies. The cellular architecture of neural tissue is of key importance for its function. Any future surgical intervention to deliver tissue engineered neural tissue will need to ensure manipulation of this delicate tissue without compromising cell viability or connectivity. Compromise of either cellular viability or tissue architecture will affect performance of any such regenerative medicine approach. This project specifically focuses on the development of novel smart materials which will ensure support and easy handling of highly organised neuronal circuits cultured in 3D. Approaches will also investigate the potential of these materials for delivery of the tissue (e.g. to a transplant site) with attention on whole tissue function rather than only at the single cell level.