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

用于生物医学应用的水凝胶和聚合物粘弹性特性的无损表征

• 批准号: RTI-2017-00736
• 负责人: Lerouge, Sophie
• 金额: $ 6.2万
• 依托单位: École de technologie supérieure
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=616755
• 关键词: Non; destructive; characterization; viscoelastic; properties

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.

在这份RTI提案中，ElastosenseBio™（Rheolution Inc., Montreal）是一项用于表征材料粘弹性特性的新技术，特别是可注射聚合物和水凝胶，无论是否封装活细胞。由于其非破坏性和样品支架的使用，可以在每次分析之间取出并放置在培养箱中，该设备允许在长时间内和在封装细胞存在的情况下对材料特性进行非侵入性研究。因此，它在生物材料、组织工程、3D生物打印和聚合物等领域开辟了非常有趣的研究机会。