Human articular cartilage is an avascular, load-bearing tissue with a dense extracellular matrix (ECM) composed of collagens and proteoglycans. Its structure resists compressive forces but limits self-repair after
trauma or disease, such as osteoarthritis (OA). OA affects over 500 million people globally, with its prevalence rising due to factors like age, obesity, and hormonal changes. Effective treatments for OA
development prevention or cartilage repair are currently lacking, highlighting the need for innovative therapeutic approaches.
3D scaffolds/hydrogels for cartilage repair is a fast developing field. However, challenge remains in developing cartilage-like properties, including ECM architecture, mechanical stability and resistance to
mechanical load, which is crucial for chondrocytes and inevitable in articular joint. Thus, novel technologies using biomimetic scaffolds encapsulated with cells, or cell secreted bioactive molecules are of high
interest in cartilage research.
The idea of this project is to combine long-term expertise of postdoctoral supervisor in chemistry, chemical-engineering and biomimetic scaffold synthesis with postdoctoral trainee’s knowledge in biology of
OA and cartilage tissue regeneration techniques this project will develop a biomimetic cartilage-like scaffold with encapsulated human mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) extracellular vesicles (EVs) for the
repair of cartilage tissue during OA. The scaffold will feature an innovative hybrid (hard and soft) polymer-based architecture that mimics the native cartilage structure, enhancing its mechanical properties and
functional integration. Additionally, the scaffold will possess sustained EV release under mechanical load, thereby prolonging the therapeutic effects of the EVs and enhancing their stability. This novel approach
will seek to improve regenerative potential of MSC-derived EVs, offering an advanced therapy for OA treatment through advanced biomaterials and bioengineering techniques.
Project funding:
Research Council of Lithuania (RCL), Projects of Postdoctoral fellowships funded by the state budget of the Republic of Lithuania
Period of project implementation: 2024-11-04 - 2026-11-03
Project coordinator: Kaunas University of Technology
