Jellyfish-collagen hydrogels for culture and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells and 3D cartilage bioprinting

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The project aligns with the DTP theme of Industrial Biotechnology. BBSRC defines industrial biotechnology as the use of biological resources for producing materials, pharmaceutical precursors or biopharmaceuticals. These biological resources include plants, algae, microorganisms and marine life. In this CASE studentship we will be collaborating with a company that extracts collagen from jellyfish for use as a scaffold in cell culture studies. We will investigate the suitability of a newly-developed jellyfish-derived collagen hydrogel to direct differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells and later as a bioink material for 3D bioprinting. BBSRC has highlighted the need for preparing skilled people in stem cell culture and cellular-based therapies in order for the UK to remain competitive in the area of regenerative medicine. The project also meets the BBSRC requirement for multidisciplinarity, involving a supervisory team with expertise in biotechnology, cell biology, materials science and 3D bioprinting, whereas the partner company, Jellagen, brings the industrial manufacturing and processing component.