Iulia Nițu

(visiting student, National University of Science and Technology – Polytechnic of Bucharest, Romania)

Development of composite scaffolds containing ion-doped sol-gel derived doped bioactive glasses for tissue engineering applications

Supervisors: Hannah Kissel, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

The increasing prevalence of bone defects underscores the need for advanced biomaterials and innovative tissue engineering approaches. Bioactive glasses (BGs), known for their ability to form a hydroxyapatite (HAp) layer under physiological conditions [1], have demonstrated strong potential due to their excellent biocompatibility and ability to bond directly with bone tissue. Among these, sol‑gel derived mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBGNs) are especially promising [2], offering high surface area, degradation, and ion release. Current research at the Institute of Biomaterials at FAU and within the broader scientific community emphasizes the incorporation of therapeutic ions into BGs to enhance their biological performance and tailor their physicochemical properties [2]. Ion doping has been shown to stimulate biological processes such as osteogenesis, angiogenesis, and antibacterial activity [2], [3]. The integration of these nanoparticles into polymeric matrices further improves scaffold stability, printability, and cell‑supportive characteristics, making the composites suitable candidates for bone repair, soft tissue regeneration, and therapeutic delivery. This work centers on the sol‑gel synthesis of ion‑doped MBGNs and their incorporation into 3D printed polymer scaffolds. In addition, the composite scaffolds will undergo comprehensive characterization, including SEM, FTIR, and XRD analyses. Their degradation behavior and structural properties will also be evaluated. These materials are expected to support cell proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, and matrix mineralization.

References

[1] Li, J., et al., Ion release behavior of vanadium-doped mesoporous bioactive glass particles and the effect of the released ions on osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs via the FAK/MAPK signaling pathway. J. Mater. Chem. B, 9 (2021) 7848–7865.

[2] Neščáková, Z., et al., Multifunctional zinc ion doped sol–gel derived mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles for biomedical applications, Bioactive Materials 4 (2019) 312-321.

[3] Omidian, S., Nazarpak, M. H., Bagher, Z., Moztarzadeh, F., The effect of vanadium ferrite doping on the bioactivity of mesoporous bioactive glass-ceramics. RSC Adv., 12 (2022) 25639–25653