Chrysoula Trentsiou

 Visiting student (South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, Germany)

Supervisors: Daniela Sofia Del Salto, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

It is well known that muscle injuries are commonplace and can go beyond simple injuries. Even though cell therapy offers a promising treatment option, there are some challenges such as fibrosis, volumetric muscle loss and poor cell retention in restoring adequate function. Muscle Tissue Engineering provides a suitable template with the 3D structure, mimics mechanical properties and also promises enhancing cell behavior [1]. This project focuses on the development of advanced composite hydrogels based on alginate-dialdehide-gelatine (ADA-GEL) for applications in muscle tissue engineering. To enhance the biological functionality of the matrix, mesoporous bioactive glasses nanoparticles (MBGNs) are incorporated and doped with therapeutic ions [2]. The project investigates synergistic effects between the mechanical support of the ADA-GEL matrix and the biochemical signaling of the therapeutic ions.

[1]Lev, R., & Seliktar, D. (2018). Hydrogel biomaterials and their therapeutic potential for muscle injuries and muscular dystrophies. J R Soc Interface 15 (2018) 20170380. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2017.0380.

[2] Lu, H.-H., et al., Ionic medicine: Exploiting metallic ions to stimulate skeletal muscle tissue regeneration. Acta Biomater. 190 (2024) 1-23. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.10.033. Epub 2024 Oct 23.