Development and characterization of a technology platform to study the mechanisms of scaffold/Bone Morphogenic Proteins (BMP) augmented large segmental bone healing. This project will increase understanding of bone engineering and in doing so will lead to superior treatments for bone defects. Such a treatment would be valuable in addressing the ever-increasing problems of diminished productivity and reduced quality of life associated with bone disorders as the population ages. The multidisciplin ....Development and characterization of a technology platform to study the mechanisms of scaffold/Bone Morphogenic Proteins (BMP) augmented large segmental bone healing. This project will increase understanding of bone engineering and in doing so will lead to superior treatments for bone defects. Such a treatment would be valuable in addressing the ever-increasing problems of diminished productivity and reduced quality of life associated with bone disorders as the population ages. The multidisciplinary and international team will be valuable in establishing Australia's prominence in this field and training the next generation of young scientists and engineers. The technologies developed will be of great interest to a large number of research groups and companies worldwide and will assist with fostering international collaboration and placing Australia at the forefront of this emerging field.Read moreRead less
Bone tissue engineering using innovative tubular dual-layered nanofiber meshes. Lifetime risks for long-bone fractures in Caucasians over the age of 50 are 17 per cent for women and 6 per cent for men. A clear therapeutic need exists to address the ever-increasing problems of diminished productivity and reduced quality of life associated with bone disorders as the population ages. To address this challenge, the project’s multidisciplinary, international team will develop technologies to heal tib ....Bone tissue engineering using innovative tubular dual-layered nanofiber meshes. Lifetime risks for long-bone fractures in Caucasians over the age of 50 are 17 per cent for women and 6 per cent for men. A clear therapeutic need exists to address the ever-increasing problems of diminished productivity and reduced quality of life associated with bone disorders as the population ages. To address this challenge, the project’s multidisciplinary, international team will develop technologies to heal tibial defects. Furthermore, it will establish Australia's prominence in the tissue engineering field, training the next generation of young scientists and engineers. This technology will be of interest to numerous research groups and companies worldwide and will foster international collaboration, placing Australia at the forefront of this emerging field.Read moreRead less
Bioactive Polymers for Wound Healing Applications. VitroGroR is a growth factor complex which enhances cell growth and migration, and hence has great potential for treating wounds. Tissue Therapies, which holds the rights to commercialization of VitroGroR, is seeking to develop methods of delivering VitroGroR in its active form to the wound environment. Two solutions to this problem will be developed in this project; a bioactive bandage containing a novel combination of microspheres and a hydrog ....Bioactive Polymers for Wound Healing Applications. VitroGroR is a growth factor complex which enhances cell growth and migration, and hence has great potential for treating wounds. Tissue Therapies, which holds the rights to commercialization of VitroGroR, is seeking to develop methods of delivering VitroGroR in its active form to the wound environment. Two solutions to this problem will be developed in this project; a bioactive bandage containing a novel combination of microspheres and a hydrogel matrix, and secondly an in-situ polymerisable matrix for treatment of deep wounds. The growth factor complex will be protected from aggressive proteases through encapsulation within microspheres, and the use of MMP-inhibiting comonomers.Read moreRead less
A novel electrospraying technology platform for controlled and targeted growth factor delivery. This project will develop a new growth factor delivery strategy to stimulate bone regeneration. The project will utilise the technique of electrospraying to create small dissolving polymer microspheres containing bone-relevant growth factors, which are released gradually as the polymer degrades after implantation into a bone defect site to promote healing.
Smart Matrix™ approaches towards neo vascularisation in bone repair. Bone injuries cost Australia more than $1 billion annually. The development of a medical device combining novel pro-angiogenic technology, Smart Matrix™, with polymer scaffolds for treatment of bone defects by this project, will facilitate rapid development of a blood supply within the defect, aiding bone growth and reducing overall costs compared to current treatments.
NOVEL TRI-BLOCK CO-POLYMERS FOR CONTROLED RELEASE OF PROTEINS FOR OSTEOGENESIS. This research is being driven by the need for a scaffold for orthopaedic reconstruction that provides controlled release of growth factors to enable rapid healing. None of the current systems possess the required combination of properties to enable new tissue to regenerate rapidly. The aim of this project is to design a system for sustained drug release using block copolymer micelles to encapsulate growth factors and ....NOVEL TRI-BLOCK CO-POLYMERS FOR CONTROLED RELEASE OF PROTEINS FOR OSTEOGENESIS. This research is being driven by the need for a scaffold for orthopaedic reconstruction that provides controlled release of growth factors to enable rapid healing. None of the current systems possess the required combination of properties to enable new tissue to regenerate rapidly. The aim of this project is to design a system for sustained drug release using block copolymer micelles to encapsulate growth factors and then polymerising the micelles in a biodegradable polymer scaffold. This would enable local delivery of osteogenic growth factors to a bone defect.Read moreRead less
The development of new scaffolds for bone repair comprising polycaprolactone and strontium-substituted bioactive glasses. The drive to develop bone grafts to fill major gaps in the skeleton, whilst circumventing the need to use permanent implants has led to a major research thrust towards developing biomaterials for bone-tissue engineering. The project will develop scaffolds with highly osteoconductive bioactive glasses in a polymer matrix for bone regeneration applications.
Development of a Prothrombogenic Bone Graft Substitute. The clinical demand for bone is massive and to counter this bone can be either harvested from the patient or bone substitutes are used. The success or failure of a bone substitute is determined the instant it come into contact with blood. The surfaces of traditional biomaterials induce a foreign body reaction. The aim of this project is to test the bone forming capacity of a biomaterial that is optimised to produce a natural response from ....Development of a Prothrombogenic Bone Graft Substitute. The clinical demand for bone is massive and to counter this bone can be either harvested from the patient or bone substitutes are used. The success or failure of a bone substitute is determined the instant it come into contact with blood. The surfaces of traditional biomaterials induce a foreign body reaction. The aim of this project is to test the bone forming capacity of a biomaterial that is optimised to produce a natural response from the blood. This response will lead to the formation new viable tissue and eventually bone. Such a material will cause faster bone healing, less pain from graft sites, shorter hospital stays and shorter waiting lists. Read moreRead less
Intelligent scaffolds and methods for repair of osteochondral defects. Osteoarthritis (OA) produces articulation of bone against bone resulting in extreme pain and disability. Of all musculoskeletal disorders, osteoarthritis has the greatest social and economic implications worldwide. By 2030, it is projected that 9.3% of the adult population will suffer from arthritis, significantly affecting their quality of life and overall productivity. A tissue engineered product capable of repairing osteoc ....Intelligent scaffolds and methods for repair of osteochondral defects. Osteoarthritis (OA) produces articulation of bone against bone resulting in extreme pain and disability. Of all musculoskeletal disorders, osteoarthritis has the greatest social and economic implications worldwide. By 2030, it is projected that 9.3% of the adult population will suffer from arthritis, significantly affecting their quality of life and overall productivity. A tissue engineered product capable of repairing osteochondral defects that does not require revision over time but becomes fully integrated with the host tissue will have significant benefits. It will improve patient activity and quality of life, and significantly reduce current health care costs associated with osteoarthritis sufferers.Read moreRead less