Biofabrication with functionalizable poly(amino acid) hydrogels towards development of bioengineered tissue constructs and biocompatible medical devices

Prof. Pallab Datta
Department of Centre for Healthcare Science and Technology,
Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur

 

Over the years, successes of tissue engineering are gradually percolating down to the society. A recent report indicated that several patients regained bowel function after received tissue engineered bladders, constructed from their own cells (autologous tissue engineering). However, it has also become obvious that traditional strategy of seeding cells onto scaffolds, which direct cell proliferation and differentiation into three-dimensional (3D) functioning tissues, have limitations to create the complexity of 3D organs. The requirement of manufacturing precise multi-cellular structures with vascular network integration is now well appreciated. Biofabrication aims to produce complex living and non-living systems to serve as biologic models, systems, devices and organ constructs by making use of live cells, molecules, extracellular matrix and biomaterials as the raw materials. Our project is aimed at developing suitable functional polymers which would be used for bio-fabrication using 3d printing and electro-spinning techniques preserving cell viability and functionality.