Yu Xin

Master student

Supervisors: Dr. Julia Ce de Andrade, Dr. Qaisar Nawaz and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Molybdenum–Copper Co-Doped Bioactive Glass 3D-Printed Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications

Chronic osteomyelitis is a persistent bone infection characterized by bacterial biofilmformation and insufficient vascularization, which limit antibiotic penetration and bone regeneration. Biomaterials capable of locally delivering therapeutic ions while simultaneously promoting vascularized bone healing are highly desirable as treatments. Recent studies have demonstrated that doping mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBGNs) with molybdenum ions promotes osteogenic differentiation, suppresses osteoclast activity, and modulates inflammation, whereas copper (Cu²⁺) ions stimulate angiogenesis and exert antibacterial effects [1,2]. Co-doping MBGNs with Mo and Cu is expected to synergistically balance osteogenesis, angiogenesis, and antimicrobial performance. This thesis explores the synthesis of Mo–Cu co-doped MBGNs via micro-emulsion-assisted sol–gel routes and the materials will be characterized by SEM/TEM, XRD, FTIR, BET and ICP-OES. PCL combined with Mo–Cu co-doped MBGNs scaffolds will be fabricated and their porosity, wettability, mechanical strength and bioactivity in SBF will be assessed, followed by in-vitro biological evaluation [3].

[1] M. Moll, A. Scheurle, Q. Nawaz, T. Walker, E. Kunisch, T. Renkawitz, AR Boccaccini, F. Westhauser, Osteogenic and angiogenic potential of molybdenumcontaining mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles: An ionic approach to bone tissue engineering, Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, Volume 86, 2024, 127518, ISSN 0946-672X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtemb.2024.127518.
[2] A Bari et al., Copper-containing mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles as multifunctional agent for bone regeneration, Acta Biomaterialia, Volume 55, 2017, Pages 493-504, ISSN 1742-7061, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2017.04.012.
[3] Nawaz, Q., López, G.B., Strunk, T. et al. 3D printing of PCL-based composite scaffolds coated with mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBGNs) incorporating boron and molybdenum for ion-assisted bone tissue engineering. J Mater Sci 60, 7924–7941 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-025-10900-y