Jonas Czwalinna

Bachelor student

Microgels as pre-crosslinking agent for oxidized alginate to enhance 3D printability

 

Supervisors: Jonas Hazur, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Alginate, a well-known polysaccharide derived from brown algae, is used broadly in biomedical applications, because of its biocompatibility and properties that can mimic the extracellular matrix in tissues. Its ability to form hydrogels makes it very promising for 3D bioprinting applications, ranging from the therapeutic delivery of cells and drugs to the engineering of tissues [1]. To improve the properties of alginate-based bioinks, hydrogel microparticles (HMPs) can be implemented [2]. In the frame of this project HMPs will be produced by mechanical fragmentation and implemented in alginate-di-aldehyde (ADA) bioinks as pre-crosslinking agent to improve the 3D printability.

 

[1] K. Y. Lee and D. J. Mooney, “Alginate: Properties and biomedical applications,” Prog. Polym. Sci., vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 106–126, 2012.

[2] L. Riley, et al., “Granular hydrogels: emergent properties of jammed hydrogel microparticles and their applications in tissue repair and regeneration”, Current Opinion in Biotechnology, vol. 60, pp. 1-8, 2019