Novel scaffold-based tissue engineering approaches to healing and regeneration of tendons and ligaments

Acronym: START
No.: STRATEGMED1/233224/10/NCBR/2014
Program: STRATEGMED1
Financing unit: NCBR (National Centre for Research and Development)
Project leader: professor Wojciech Święszkowski
Function: leader
Timeframe: 2014 - 2018

Project description        

Despite advances in treatment of tendon and ligament injuries, which are the most common musculoskeletal disorders that clinicians address daily, the question of optimal treatment is still unanswered. The main aim of the project is to develop a novel scaffold-based tissue engineering approaches to healing and regeneration of tendons and ligaments (START). We hypothesize that in situ guided personalized tissue engineering, where smart, biodegradable patient/case–specific scaffold is used to provide biomimetic 3D micro- and nano-environments, and delivery required molecules and stem cells, would enhance the tendon/ligament regeneration. The bioactive scaffold will also recruit and stimulate endogenous stem/progenitor cells to assist tissue formation. Additionally, the scaffold, due to its special construction, will allow for continuous in situ modulation of regeneration by providing directly to injury site the stem cells, cytokines, and by applying mechanical stimulation to the tissue throughout whole time of therapy. The modulation will depend on results of in situ biomarkers analyzes. The START will also require the establishment of new non-invasive imaging and analytical techniques for in situ monitoring of regeneration processes. Implementing such multidisciplinary strategies for tissue engineering should greatly enhance the efficacy of treatment of tendon/ligament disorders.