Non-destructive characterization of viscoelastic properties of hydrogels and polymers for biomedical applications

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The ElastosenseBio™ (Rheolution Inc., Montreal) requested in this RTI proposal is a new technology for the characterization of viscoelastic properties of materials, especially injectable polymers and hydrogels, with and without encapsulated live cells. Thanks to its non-destructive nature and the use of sample holders, which can be removed and placed in an incubator between each analysis, the equipment allows non-invasive study of material properties over long periods of time and in the presence of encapsulated cells. It therefore opens up very interesting research opportunities in the fields of biomaterials, tissue engineering, 3D bioprinting and polymers in general. The equipment will be used in various planned and ongoing research projects at ETS, especially at Sophie Lerouge’s Canada Research Chair in biomaterials and at Nicole Demarquette’s ETS Research Chair on Blends and Nanocomposites based on Thermoplastics. Lerouge is developing and testing new injectable hydrogels as drug or cell delivery scaffolds for various applications including cancer (scaffolds for T lymphocyte delivery), tissue regeneration or blood vessel embolization. Demarquette is developing new blends based on thermosensitive polymers for use in drug delivery and nano-foams for biomedical applications derived from polymeric gels. Lerouge and Demarquette are also beginning research on bioinks for 3D printing in collaboration with other researchers from ETS and McGill, thanks to a FCI grant obtained in 2016. The equipment will be used to track mechanical properties and swelling/contraction during gelation, polymerization, biodegradation or extracellular matrix production by encapsulated cells, over short or long periods of time (several hours, days or even weeks). In contrast to existing technologies, ElastosenseBio is able to achieve this without contact (maintaining sterility) and without damaging the sample, thus allowing use of the same samples throughout the study. This is important since these samples can be very expensive. The equipment is not yet available in Canada. Acquiring the technology is urgent due to several funded projects from Lerouge which need the technology to achieve their aims, as well as the acquisition of the 3D bioprinting system in early 2017. It will also be key for industrial collaborations and HQP training. Within 3 years, we believe that the equipment will be beneficial to the work of at least 2 PDF, 4 PhD, 5 MSC and 8 interns, plus all external users.