Ana Paula Nogueira Alves

Visiting master student (Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil)

Calcium phosphate/ bioactive glass 3D scaffolds containing essential oil for tissue engineering

 

Supervisor in Erlangen: Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Supervisor in Brazil: Prof. Dr. Eliandra de Sousa Trichês

Treating bone defects compromised by infections is a significant medical challenge. In this context, tissue engineering research has been growing with advances in scaffold development based on innovative biomaterials. The use of 3D printing for scaffold production is a promising way to obtain structures with architecture customized to the patient necessity [1]. Scaffolds based on calcium phosphates and bioactive glass have shown biological response [2]. In order to increase antibacterial properties of scaffolds phytotherapeutic agents (e.g. essential oils) can be loaded on the scaffolds to treat bone infections. Essential oils are substances naturally obtained that show antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties [3]. This study aims to evaluate the influence of essential oil on scaffold antibacterial activity and biological response. This research project is being carrying out as a collaboration between the Science and Technology Institute at Federal University of Sao Paulo and the Institute of Biomaterials at University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, and it is funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation, FAPESP.

[1] Peng, E., Zhang, D., Ding, J. Ceramic robocasting: recent achievements, potential and future developments. Ceramic Additive Manufacturing. 2018; 30: 1-14. DOI: 10.1002/adma.201802404

[2] Karadjian, M., et al., Biological properties of calcium phosphate bioactive glass composite bone substitutes: Current experimental evidence, Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019; 20(2), 305.

[3] Tariq, S., Wani, S., Rassol, W. et al. A comprehensive review of antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral potential of essential oils and their chemical constituents against drug-resistant microbial pathogens. Microbial Pathogenesis. 2019; 134: 1-20. DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2019.103580