Daniel Wasniewski

Bachelor student

Advancing composite hydrogels containing mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles

Supervisors: Dr. Priscila Toninatto Alves de Toledo and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Bioactive glasses are explored for biomedical applications due to their ability to release ions that modulate material properties and biological responses. Mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBGNs) are of particular interest given their high surface area, tunable pore structure, and controlled ion delivery, which enhance interfacial interactions and contribute to processes such as tissue regeneration, angiogenesis, and antibacterial activity. The incorporation of ion-doped MBGNs into hydrogels enables the design of composite systems that integrate the structural features of polymer networks with the functional properties of bioactive glass [1]. This work investigates such composites, focusing on the contribution of MBGNs to overall bioactivity. Silica-based MBGNs functionalized with selected ions will be incorporated in hydrogel matrices and assessed in terms of particle–matrix interactions and their impact on the material environment. These findings are expected to inform the development of biomaterials with controlled ion delivery and enhanced bioactivity for biomedical and tissue engineering applications.

[1] H. Zhu, et al., 3D Bioprinting of Multifunctional Dynamic Nanocomposite Bioinks Incorporating Cu-Doped Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles for Bone Tissue Engineering, Small 18, (2022) 2104996. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/smll.202104996)