Regeneration
Of orthopaedic tissues
Regenerative medicine has its roots in the field of tissue engineering in the late 80s and early 90s came with revolutionary concepts to culture larger pieces of living tissue based on the combination of (cultured) cells, biomaterials and bioactive cues. However, the proper functionality of any mammalian tissue is tightly linked to its anisotropic spatial organisation. Therefore, our lab integrates regenerative biology and regenerative engineering to advance biofabrication-based regenerative approaches. The resulting tissues can be used as a future implant or as an advanced in vitro model of healthy or pathological condition.
Orthopedic Regenerative Medicine
Articular Cartilage
In native musculoskeletal tissues, the structural support is provided by collagen networks with specific architectures, which heal insufficiently or not at all in poorly or non-vascularised tissues. The most outspoken and clinically highly relevant example is the type 2 collagen Benninghoff arcades in articular cartilage, which have no natural regenerative properties. Consequently, in the case the articular cartilage is damaged, it does not heal. Current available therapies (often based on the administration of cells and/or biomaterials), do only provide the tissue components or “building blocks” and not its particular architecture that is imperative for the tissue’s mechanical performance. Over time, articular cartilage damage is prone to cause further degeneration and the onset of osteoarthritis, a debilitating disease that affects almost half a billion people worldwide.
Personalized osteochondral implants
Our lab develops regenerative solutions that do not only focus on replacing defects with tissue of the same composition, but also of sufficient mechanical integrity. With our biofabrication-based approaches, we aim to provide durable structural support through a highly organised, ultra-thin fibre network that forms the backbone of a hydrogel-based cartilage phase that is structurally connected to a regenerative 3D-printed bone anchor. Further, by guiding the structural collagen network of the tissue, we aim to durably restore its architecture and achieve true regeneration.
Advanced orthopedic in vitro model: the “joint-on-chip”
We use bioprinting technologies to create advanced in vitro models that capture the complex biological interactions within tissues in the joint that are involved in inflammation and degeneration. This view aligns with our vision and ambition to reduce animal experimentation through guidance and replacement by advanced in vitro models.
Other tissues
Besides an important focus on the orthopedic tissues, the biofabrication technologies developed and converged within the MaldaLab are used, often in close collaboration with academic partners and industry, for the generation of a wide range of different tissue types, including that of the meniscus, the cardiac muscle, the liver and the pancreas.