Aleksandra Klassa

Master student

Optimization and fabrication of an anti-inflammatory drug incorporated PCL-based melt electrowriting scaffold for wound healing applications

Supervisors: Dr. Irem Unalan, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Melt electrowriting is a promising scaffold fabrication technique, characterized by its printing precision, extensive optimization possibilities, and high resolution of 3D printed elements important for tissue engineering applications [1,2]. Polycaprolactone (PCL), a biodegradable polymer, stands out for wound healing applications and is especially well-suited for MEW due to its low melting temperature and fast solidification [3].

This master’s thesis aims to optimize PCL-based MEW derived scaffold in terms of orientation of the polymer fibers to improve its properties and tailor the scaffolds for wound healing applications. Moreover, the incorporation of a biopolymer and an anti-inflammatory drug will be utilized to further improve the chemical and biological properties of the scaffold.

[1]    S. Loewner et al., “Recent advances in melt electro writing for tissue engineering for 3D printing of microporous scaffolds for tissue engineering,” Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, vol. 10, 2022. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.896719.

[2]    I. Unalan, I. Occhipinti, M. Miola, E. Vernè, and A. R. Boccaccini, “Development of Super-Paramagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticle-Coated Melt Electrowritten Scaffolds for Biomedical Applications,” Macromol Biosci, vol. 24, no. 3, 2024. doi: 10.1002/mabi.202300397.

[3]    J. C. Kade and P. D. Dalton, “Polymers for Melt Electrowriting,” Advanced Healthcare Materials, vol. 10, no. 1, 2021. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202001232.