Development of a Multi-Cue Biomaterial for Traumatic Tissue Injury

Non-Technical Abstract

Biomaterials have immense potential for a countless number of applications, but limitations currently exist on the integration and adaptive functionality of the materials. For instance, there are a large number of events and signals that occur following a traumatic injury, including electrical, chemical, and physical signals that are used to communicate with cells and the surrounding environment that current materials are unable to replicate.

Therefore, this project seeks to develop a novel biomaterial scaffold with customized chemical, electrical and physical signaling to be provided to the injury site. Electrical signaling will be provided by movement of the scaffold, called piezoelectricity, or by targeted “on-demand” ultrasound. This tunable, piezoelectric material represents a leap forward to materials that can better reproduce the requirements necessary of a biomaterial.

The multi-functional, piezoelectric biomaterial will be fabricated, systematically characterized, and developed into a three-dimensional construct for future applications such as nerve regeneration. This study will greatly aid in the development and characterization of piezoelectric biomaterials for the future, and particularly multi-function materials capable of providing customizable signals.

In addition, this work seeks to broaden interest in science by hosting a workshop for local Cincinnati high school students where students will have an opportunity to learn about piezoelectricity and material science. Overall, by developing robust biomaterials with enhanced signaling capabilities that better replicate the native environment, this class of material has the potential to revolutionize personalized medicine and deliver countless future therapies from the lab into the clinic.

Technical Abstract

Novel biomaterials capable of delivering the required signals to both cells and the microenvironment to replace or restore tissue in injury and disease states remain challenging to develop. A new class of multiple-cue material is greatly needed for a variety of applications including tissue engineered therapies, in vitro models of injury and disease, and fundamental studies of cell and tissue.

To address this challenge for more relevant materials, this project will develop a biomaterial capable of delivering the relevant electrical, chemical, and physical signals to cells and the microenvironment to promote regeneration and integration of tissue. To accomplish this, the research project will: 1) Electrospin an aligned, biocompatible poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene)(PVDF-TrFE) piezoelectric, nanofiber scaffold with a high surface area and porosity that is functionalized with tissue-specific, decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM). 2) Quantitatively determine the electric potential of the scaffold resulting from mechanical deformation on the cellular and tissue level, in addition to quantification of location specific ultrasonic stimulation, which can be applied on demand as the scaffolds generate electric current in response to mechanical deformations.

The resulting neuronal and Schwann cell phenotypic response to biomaterials and electric current produced will also be examined. 3) Utilize the electrospun PVDF-TrFE mesh scaffold to create 3D guidance conduits to address wound repair in nerve injury and assess the mechanics and total piezoelectricity of conduits while maintaining biocompatibility with cells. In the long-term, this research develops a transformative class of biomaterial and provides a mechanistic understanding of piezoelectric polymers and their effect on cells and tissue.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.