L. Dabašinskaitė “Design, fabrication, and functionalization of fibrous polymer scaffolds for regeneration of articular cartilage” doctoral dissertation defence

Author, Institution: Lauryna Dabašinskaitė, Kaunas University of Technology

Science area, field of science: Natural Sciences, Chemistry, N003

Scientific Supervisor: Chief Researcher, Dr. Edvinas Krugly (Kaunas University of Technology, Natural Sciences, Chemistry, N003)

Dissertation Defence Board of Chemistry Science Field:
Prof. Dr. Eugenijus Valatka (Kaunas University of Technology, Natural Sciences, Chemistry, N003) – chairperson
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eglė Arbačiauskienė (Kaunas University of Technology, Natural Sciences, Chemistry, N003)
Prof. Dr. Saulius Grigalevičius (Kaunas University of Technology, Natural Sciences, Chemistry, N003)
Prof. Dr. Vilma Petrikaitė (Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Medical and Health Science, Pharmacy, M003)
Prof. Dr. Paweł Ł. Sajkiewicz (Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland, Technological Sciences, Material Engineering, T008)

The dissertation defence was at the Meeting room at Santaka Valley of Kaunas University of Technology (K. Baršausko 59 – A228, Kaunas)

The doctoral dissertation is available at the library of Kaunas University of Technology (K. Donelaičio g. 20, Kaunas)

Annotation: This doctoral thesis presents the development of the method for the fabrication of a porous fibrous scaffold for the regeneration of the articular cartilage, including the synthesis of fibrous matrix, and chemical surface functionalization. For the first time a bi-layered scaffold for the regeneration of articular cartilage was fabricated using a unique sequence of processes, including combinations of manufacturing methods (solution, cryo-solution, and 3D melt electrospinning) and surface modification conditions (aqueous O₃ treatment and alkaline hydrolysis). Such sequence allows producing a scaffold with an optimal set of functional properties that ensure a successful articular cartilage regeneration process. The fabrication sequence has been filed as a patent application to the European Patenting Office (Application number: EP21186137.2). The effects of scaffold treatment on the morphological, mechanical, and physicochemical properties as well as the release kinetics of the attached IGF-1, TGF-β3 GF, and cell viability were determined. The thesis contributes to the further development and applications of PCL scaffolds and their surface modification for articular cartilage TE applications. The fabrication method and the polymeric scaffold reported in this thesis may be implemented in clinical practice for the surgical treatment and regeneration of articular cartilage tissue, provided that necessary steps of in vivo and clinical validation are followed.