Stem cell-based neural tissue engineering through the use of biomaterials.

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There is an urgent unmet clinical need for scaffolds that actively promote theregeneration of neural tissue. This project will aim to develop a novel, 3D degradable scaffoldwith controlled mechanical and chemical properties, recapitulating the natural extracellularmicroenvironment and releasing growth factors (GFs) in a controlled spatiotemporal manner.The scaffold will be based on Poly(ethylene) glycol and extracellular matrix proteins, such aslaminin and fibronectin, presenting high affinity for GFs and therefore required to support theregenerative process. The scaffolds will thus represent a synthetic microenvironment whereneural stem cells can be cultured in 3D and differentiated through mechanical and chemicalqueues to replace lost neurons and surrounding glia. The development of an organotypic cultureof tissue-specific stem cells in a hydrogel will provide a viable vector for delivering new cells andgrowth promoting factors to an injury site. Furthermore, this culture model could potentiallyhave future applications for screening drugs that could enhance neural tissue regeneration bystimulating the expansion of the stem cells in culture.