Project Portugal 2030

Summary

Veterinary practices continually seek ways to enhance animals' quality of life. Current periodontitis treatments include flap surgery, bone grafting, and guided tissue regeneration. While effective, the latter is technically demanding and expensive. Researchers now explore alternative materials for cost-effective membranes with improved periodontal tissue regeneration and biocompatibility. Calcium phosphate biomaterials and Bioglass are promising options. Bioglass, a bioactive material with specific proportions of SiO2, Na2O, CaO, and P2O5, bonds to soft and hard tissues, exhibiting osteoinductive behaviour. The IonBone project aims to develop bioglass-based membranes for dog-related periodontitis, pursuing three objectives: (i) Designing novel BG with different ratios of inorganic ions (Si, Ca, Mn, and Cu); (ii) Utilizing advanced 3D fibre fabrication technology to create multifunctional BG membranes with bioengineered spider silk proteins; (iii) Assessing the biological and in vivo biocompatibility of the new BG membranes for canine periodontal-guided tissue regeneration. Leveraging the team's expertise in innovative biomaterials for bone regeneration, combined with chemistry and veterinary tissue engineering proficiency, the IonBone project is set to advance regenerative medicine with bio-inspired membranes for periodontitis. The potential impact on pets' quality of life underscores the project's significance in biotechnological advancements.