Project Portugal 2030

Summary

The SLASH project's main goal is to pioneer the development of self-oxygenated and self-feeding living implants for bone tissue regeneration. This research seeks to address a critical challenge in tissue engineering, specifically the limited diffusion of O2 and nutrients within constructs of clinically relevant sizes. Currently, the metabolic demand until achieving complete vascularization, responsible for supplying O2 and nutrients to tissues, is excessively high, resulting in cell death. By integrating these essential elements directly into the cells, the project aims to generate living implants that are fully vascularized and capable of differentiation. Considering this, five aims were outlined: 1. Develop cell carriers able to deliver oxygen to adhered cells by chemical action (Task 1). These devices will be included in a bioink (Task 3), but they could be used alone as cell carriers for cell expansion or injectable systems in bottom-up tissue engineering. 2. Integrate glucose-generating nanoparticles (Task 1). The incorporation of glucose-generating nanoparticles to create a self-feeding system that supports cell viability and function. 3. 3D bioprinting of structures using AM-based bioinks (Task 3). The use of human protein-based inks is a hot topic in TE, allowing the creation of structures capable of fostering the proliferation and differentiation of cells. 4. Characterization of constructs vascularization and osteogenic differentiation potential in vitro (Tasks 4 and 5). A wide range of techniques will be employed to characterize the formed microtissues at different length scales. 5. Examine in vivo performance (Tasks 6 and 7). Exploration of the in vivo performance of the self-oxygenated and self-feeding implants in promoting bone tissue regeneration, utilizing animal models and omics analysis. The tasks within the SLASH project are intricately interconnected, forming a cohesive and innovative work plan that addresses key challenges in tissue engineering. The innovative nature of the project lies in its multidisciplinary approach, combining advanced biomaterials, 3D bioprinting techniques, and bioengineering principles to achieve the ambitious goal of creating completely autonomous living implants. With this, the innovation in the SLASH project lies in pushing the boundaries of conventional tissue engineering by addressing not only the challenge of oxygen diffusion, but also incorporating self-feeding mechanisms.