Anna-Maria Schmid

Zeitraum: 2017 Master Studentin

Betreuer: Lena Vogt, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Thema:

Electrospun gelatin fibers for cardiac tissue engineering

In this project, a three-dimensional scaffold based on electrospun gelatin fibers will be fabricated and analyzed for the application in cardiac tissue engineering [1]. Gelatin is a natural occurring polymer and electrospun scaffolds exhibit a structure similar to the extracellular matrix of human body. Thus ultrafine gelatin fibers form an ideal environment for cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation and therefore they represent suitable patches to regenerate the heart muscle tissue after an event like myocardial infarction. To maintain the structure and stability and to improve the mechanical and thermal properties of this patch if exposed to aqueous environments, crosslinking of the gelatin fibers must be achieved. Different stabilization agents and methods will be investigated and the impact of the crosslinking method on the morphology, chemical, mechanical and degradation properties of the obtained fiber mats will be analyzed.

[1] Chen, Qi-Zhi; Harding, Siân E.; Ali, Nadire N.; Lyon, Alexander R.; Boccaccini, Aldo R., Biomaterials in cardiac tissue engineering. Ten years of research survey, Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports 59 (2008) 1–37.