Engineering Gene Activated Biomaterial to Induce Bone Formation

Millions of patients around the world suffer from non-healing bone defects that arise from various causes, including degenerative diseases and trauma, significantly compromising the patient´s quality of life. Therefore, innovative strategies are needed that can accelerate natural bone healing without any side effects.

This can be achieved by regenerative medicine approaches that comprise of a 3D scaffold which holds the cells together to create the tissues physical form; the stem cells that create the tissue; and the biological signaling molecules (drugs that can induce differentiation of stem cells) that direct the cells to express the desired tissue phenotype.

This project aims to develop novel tools to regenerate bone tissue by combining advanced extracellular matrix mimetic hydrogel scaffold and gene regulating drugs as signaling molecules.

The hydrogel component will be based on hyaluronic acid (HA) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), which will be crosslinked within minutes employing hydrazone and Aldol chemistry.

The crosslinking chemistry will also impart tissue adhesive properties of the biomaterials over wet surfaces which will further augment the tissue regeneration process.

As signaling molecules, we will develop novel chemically modified RNA interference drugs (RNAi) that will induce osteogenic differentiation of stem cells mimicking the natural bone healing process. This is a multidisciplinary project that will have a major scientific, social and economic impact.