Bioprinting Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

用于组织工程的生物打印支架

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-06396
• 负责人: Chen, Xiongbiao
• 金额: $ 4.66万
• 依托单位: University of Saskatchewan
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=760147
• 关键词: Bioprinting; Scaffolds; Tissue; Engineering

WHY AND TO WHOM THE RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT: Millions of people suffer from tissue/organ injuries or damage, such as peripheral nerve injuries and heart attacks. Tissue/organ transplantation is the gold standard to treat some of these types of injuries but is severely restricted as an option due to the limited availability of donor tissues/organs. Instead of relying on donor tissues/organs, in this research program we (mainly my graduate students and I) will create artificial tissue/organ substitutes or scaffolds that can grow with patients, ultimately providing a permanent solution and thus improving upon current treatment approaches. An analogy would be buying new parts at the mechanic to replace car parts that are broken or no longer functioning. We envision that someone who unfortunately suffers tissue/organ injuries can go to a hospital, have our scaffolds implanted into his/her body, and then later completely recover the function of a healthy body with the help of our scaffolds. NATURE TO THE WORK TO BE DONE: In this research program, we will develop novel methods and tools to fabricate scaffolds with "help" cells, the structure of which will be similar to native tissues/organs (i.e., what was present in the body prior to injury). By employing emerging three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques, we will lay down or print threads or fibers of biomaterials (or materials that cells are able to stay and live within) with cells (collectively called `bioinks') in a layer-by-layer fashion (called `bioprinting'). Over the next five (5) years, we will achieve the following three specific objectives: (1) develop novel methods/tools to bioprint fibers with novel structures, thus fabricating scaffolds that are distinctive from those produced by existing approaches, (2) seek better ways to print scaffolds such that more cells survive the bioprinting process and that printed scaffolds are more like native structures, and (3) create scaffolds with blood vessels to supply cells with oxygen and nutrients, thus improving cell survival and functions to help repair. In this research program, we will test and evaluate our scaffolds in the lab to see how they work. If they work well, we will test them in animal models and human patients in our next steps. ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES AND BENEFITS: This research program will lead to the development of new knowledge with regard to the bioprinting technique and the development of novel scaffolds. These novel scaffolds will have structures that closer resemble native tissue/organs than existing scaffolds. We envisioned that the novel scaffolds will work better as applied to treating tissue/organ injures. As such, this research program will be of great benefit to the large number of Canadians who suffer from tissue/organs injuries as well as health researchers, practitioners, and industry partners in related areas.

这项研究的原因和对象：数百万人遭受组织/器官损伤或损害，例如周围神经损伤和心脏病发作。组织/器官移植是治疗某些此类损伤的黄金标准，但由于供体组织/器官的可用性有限，这种选择受到严重限制。在这个研究项目中，我们（主要是我和我的研究生）将不再依赖捐赠组织/器官，而是创建可以与患者一起生长的人造组织/器官替代品或支架，最终提供永久的解决方案，从而改进当前的治疗方法。打个比方，就像在机械师那里购买新零件来更换损坏或不再起作用的汽车零件。我们设想，不幸遭受组织器官损伤的人可以去医院，将我们的支架植入到他/她的体内，然后在我们的支架的帮助下完全恢复健康身体的功能。要做的工作的本质：在这个研究计划中，我们将开发新的方法和工具来制造带有“帮助”细胞的支架，其结构将类似于天然组织/器官（即受伤前体内存在的组织/器官）。通过采用新兴的三维（3D）打印技术，我们将以逐层的方式铺设或打印生物材料（或细胞能够在其中停留和生活的材料）线或纤维（统称为“生物墨水”）（称为“生物打印”）。在接下来的五（5）年里，我们将实现以下三个具体目标：（1）开发新的方法/工具来生物打印具有新颖结构的纤维，从而制造出与现有方法生产的支架不同的支架，（2）寻求更好的方法来打印支架，使更多的细胞在生物打印过程中存活下来，并且打印的支架更像天然结构，以及（3）创建带有血管的支架，为细胞提供 氧气和营养物质，从而提高细胞存活率和帮助修复的功能。在这个研究项目中，我们将在实验室中测试和评估我们的支架，看看它们是如何工作的。如果效果良好，我们将在下一步中在动物模型和人类患者中进行测试。 预期成果和效益：该研究计划将促进生物打印技术方面新知识的发展和新型支架的开发。这些新颖的支架将具有比现有支架更接近天然组织/器官的结构。我们预计新型支架在应用于治疗组织/器官损伤时将发挥更好的作用。因此，该研究项目将对大量遭受组织/器官损伤的加拿大人以及相关领域的健康研究人员、从业人员和行业合作伙伴带来巨大的裨益。