Projects
Decellularized muscle as a scaffold for extraocular muscle tissue engineering KU Leuven
Injuries to skeletal muscle are dramatically impacting patient’s lives, limiting their daily activities. Depending on the defect, current treatment is either not possible or involves autologous tissue transfer, which leads to donor site morbidity and incomplete functional recovery. Tissue engineered muscle may provide an alternative for muscle repair and can also be used to study development, disease and drug effects in vitro. We propose to ...
Development of calcium phosphate scaffolds for dentoalveolar tissue engineering KU Leuven
The overall aim of this project is to develop a novel tissue engineering approach for dental root tissue replacement based on immune-modulation through biomaterial surface functionalization. In a first step, CaP scaffolds with a customized geometry and tailored mechanical properties will be fabricated by means of 3D printing. Currently available additive manufacturing (3D printing) technologies used to produce customized CaP structures ...
Manufacturing of bone forming tissue engineering constructs using anintegrated 3D bioreactor-driven process. KU Leuven
Tissue engineering has been defined as an interdisciplinary field which aims at developing implants to induce or support the regeneration of tissues and organs in compromised defect environments. Despite significant scientific advances no large scale clinical translation of current concepts has taken place yet. As numerous scientific questions remain unanswered on for example mechanism of action, the current focus of the field is ...
Tough double network hydrogels for tissue engineering Hasselt University
Modelling of gene networks for steering of biomimetic production processes in tissue engineering. KU Leuven
The specialization of cartilage cells, or chondrogenic differentiation, is an intricate and meticulously regulated process that plays a vital role in both bone formation and cartilage regeneration. This PhD work centers on the development of computational models to study the molecular regulation of this process. First, we investigate how individual genes and their defects contribute to the overall change in functionality of the growth plate, ...
Cellular biological validation of a perfusion bioreactor for skeletal tissue engineering. KU Leuven
Bioactive thiol-ene-based polyester 3D-constructs for hard tissue engineering Ghent University
Bioresorbable synthetic polymers hold great potential in personalized and regenerative medicine. Within the rapidly innovating 3D printing and medical device industry, there is an unmet need for materials that combine the ideal properties for applications in hard tissue engineering and patient-specific implants: tunable degradation, cell interactivity, excellent CAD/CAM mimicry using light-based 3D printing techniques and the right mechanical ...
Multiscale modeling of experimental regeneration set-ups in skeletal tissue engineering KU Leuven
The aim of the thesis is to develop a multiscale model of osteochondrogenic differentiation in a bioreactor environment and other experimental set-ups typically used in skeletal tissue engineering. The state of mechanical loading around the human ulna, knee joint and growing skeletal tissue in a bioreactor is to be calculated from computational models using finite element method. Subsequently, a computer model of tissue regeneration in ...
Oxygen gradient induced organization of skeletal tissue engineering constructs. KU Leuven
The spatial distribution and orientation of cells within the growth plate result in a highly organized tissue structure that provides a beneficial and robust environment for new bone formation. The bone forming potential has inspired researchers to re-create this structured environment and explore the use of growth plate-like intermediates in skeletal tissue engineering. Clear clues are available that oxygen plays an essential role in shaping ...