Augusto Nicolás Covone

Visiting I.DEAR student (National University of Mar del Plata, Argentina)

Fabrication and characterization PCL/zein electrospun scaffolds for controlled drug delivery in tendon tissue engineering

 

Supervisors (Erlangen): Francesco Iorio, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Supervisor (Mar del Plata): Prof. Gustavo Abraham

This project is based on the fabrication and characterization of polycaprolactone/zein-based scaffolds, produced through the process of “green electrospinning” in a benign solvent system. While zein is a widely available, biodegradable and biocompatible protein with rising interest as a carrier for nanomedicine application, its poorly mechanical performance requires the combination with synthetic polymers, such as PCL, to obtain suitable fibers for tissue engineering applications1. To meet the requirements in tendón regeneration for a controlled drug release (i.e. growth factors, commonly employed in tendon tissue engineering to induce tenogenesis2), the potential use of several polycaprolactone/zein-based delivery structures will be evaluated.

[1] Pérez-Guzmán, C.J. & Castro-Muñoz, R. A review of zein as a potential biopolymer for tissue engineering and nanotechnological applications. Processes; 8(11):1-21; 2020.

[2] Citeroni, M.R. et al. Review in vitro innovation of tendon tissue engineering strategies. Int J Mol Sci; 21(18):1-78; 2020.