Projects / Programmes
DEVELOPMENT OF FUNCTIONALLY-GRADED, MULTILAYERED, BIOPOLYMER-BASED MEMBRANES FOR GUIDED PERIODONTAL REGENERATION
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 7.00.00 |
Interdisciplinary research |
|
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T150 |
Technological sciences |
Material technology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 2.05 |
Engineering and Technology |
Materials engineering |
periodontitis; multilayer GTR membranes; barrier function; graded structure; simultaneous regeneration; antimicrobial peptides; biocompatibility
Researchers (1)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
32136 |
PhD Selestina Gorgieva |
Materials science and technology |
Head |
2016 - 2018 |
195 |
Organisations (1)
Abstract
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects ~750M people worldwide, being the 4th highest cost disease with up to 10% consumption of healthcare resources. The Slovenian population )35 years is highly affected by this disease (98%), and its progressive form (25%) which destroys the periodontal tissues, leading to tooth loss. The medical statistics also demonstrate the close relation between periodontitis and several systematic diseases: diabetes, cardio-, cerebro-vascular, respiratory, osteoporosis, etc. The worldwide most promising therapy is guide tissue regeneration (GTR), which utilises the barrier membrane for suppressing the epithelial cells’ invasions in alveolar bone defects at the same time providing space for the migration of osteoprogenitor cells which should complete the regeneration process. Due to the limitations of primarily non-bioresorbable barrier membranes (e.g. additional surgical procedure, tissue damage, premature exposure and inflammation), the bioresorbable and bioactive membranes were developed. Despite improvements, their usage still provide inconsistent and unpredictable outcomes, often requiring combination with other techniques, which makes the procedure longer, more complicated and expensive, often lacking controlled antibiotics’ administration/release. To resume, a systematic approach in barrier membranes engineering that would be capable of triggering simultaneous regeneration of by periodontitis-affected tissues and provide controlled bacteria-infections’ management is still missing.
In this context, the AIM of proposed project is to develop a new generation of GTR membranes by the systematic engineering of bio-based, functionally graded, multilayer composite. The leading idea is site-specific introduction of the structural, morph-chemical and mechanical triggers within a single material, which would closely meet the periodontal complex tissue (cementum, periodontal ligament, alveolar bone and gingiva) self-regeneration requirements. Such membranes are envisaged to provide superior performance of their state-of-the art counterparts, starting from their basic barrier function, up to a)simultaneous regeneration function due to the application of multi- layer biopolymer coating with layer-specific composition (including hydroxyapatite and/or specific growth factors) and micro-structuring (porosity), and b)antimicrobial function due to incorporated combination of antimicrobial peptides being active against periodontal pathogens. The multilayers’ integration, stabilisation and different scale structuring, which are expected to meet the bio-stability/degradation aspects, would be potentially achieved by proof-of-concept technology already being established by the applicant during her PhD study.
The presented concept will be for first time employed in GTR membranes’ processing, and might serve in future as a platform for developing cellular scaffolds for different tissue-interfaces’ regeneration, while gained knowledge for different modification/stabilisation routes of biopolymers as well as their graded 3D structuring may be further exploited within applications such as filtration, separation, sensing, and drug delivery systems. The results, disseminated by at least two high-impact scientific papers, one innovation or patent and presentations at world-recognised international conferences is expected to contribute in institutional recognition, consequently improving international and interdisciplinary collaborations. By targeting the health benefits, the presented impact will align with one of the HORIZON 2020 priorities: health, demographic change and well-being, as well as with Slovenian Smart Specialization strategy for 2014-2020 periods. The potential industrial exploitation of the proposed technology in processing of high-tech biomedical materials will also bring direct socio-economic benefit and contribution to the Slovenian economic growth and competitiveness.
Significance for science
With encouragement of inter-disciplinary research perception as more successful in achieving scientific and technological breakthroughs (Hollingsworth, J. R. 2006), the proposed project is expected to go beyond disciplinary research’ boundaries, by providing simultaneous contribution to:
material science with introduction of novel and systematic, engineering methodologies for developments of bio-based, functionally graded, multilayer membranes and
medicine (stomatology) with considering the newly formed composites as new generation GTR membranes to be used in periodontal defects treatment, or to serve as platform for developing cellular scaffolds for different tissue-interfaces’ regeneration.
Particularly, the following scientific outcomes are expected to be delivered during project execution:
- developed methodology(s) for in situ integration of membrane’ layers and different (nano-to-macro) scale structuring;
- established correlation between stabilization extent and degradation rate (i.e. life-span of multilayer membrane) in modelled physiological, in vitro condition;
- new discovers for (synergistic) effect of native antimicrobials against selected periodontal pathogens;
- new discovers of cell-material interaction event(s).
In summary, the established basic knowledge will bring particular answer(s) on design needs of an GTR-intendent barrier membrane, which maid pave the way towards complete periodontal tissue regeneration.
The new scientific finding and obtained skills are planned to be disseminated by at least two high-impact scientific papers, one innovation or patent and presentations at world-recognised, biomaterial related international conferences, in range of those organised by European Society for Biomaterials (ESB and TERMIS) or COST action (MP130- the new generation biomimetic and customised implants for bone engineering).
Proposed dissemination pathways are expected to bring the results feedback, in same time present ˝pipe line˝ for new ideas, allowing follow-up in current (biomaterial) science trends and their role in medicine.
Significance for the country
When considering the periodontitis’-related devastating statistics (~750M people worldwide and extremely high 98% of )35 years old Slovenian population), together with its correlation with other systematic diseases and very high cost (4th highest cost disease with up to 10% consumption of healthcare resources), the significance of improving its treatment routes could be resumed. In this regards, the future up-grating of conventional GTR membranes towards simplicity, multi-functionality and cost- related rationality, as being proposed by this research project, will be highly relevant for the medical sector. Indeed, from the state-of-the art solutions, the use of GTR membranes in diverse dental procedures, i.e. the extraction site- grafting, sinus grafting, ridge augmentation, etc. is demonstrated. By targeting the health benefits, the presented impact will also align with one of the HORIZON 2020 main priorities: namely health, demographic change and well-being as societal challenges facing the EU, same as Slovenian Smart Specialization strategy (as key enabling technology) for 2014-2020 periods.
On the other hand, the obtained know-how and research expertise’s within proposed project is envisioned to be further supported by semi-pilot scale demonstration of processing procedure. This will be feasible on conceptually and experimentally – already established methodology for design of medical-intendant scaffolds, where significant effort was given by the applicant during her PhD study. Later is also going ahead with research group (from which the project applicant is recent part of) strategy, being the establishment of scale-up production technology for scaffolding materials, foreseen to be commercialized or further licensed through the established spin-off with home institution (University of Maribor).
The medical device sector (the GTR multilayer membranes belong to active implantable device) is highly innovative, particularly in Europe and, according to very recent (2015) information released from European Commission, has an estimated market value of around €95 billions, making the proposed topic even more attractive. Even presents long-term goal, the conversion/transformation of knowledge in clinical practice-used product is envisioned; the faster validation access of same might be even fostered by the established collaboration of the applicant’ research group with researchers from EU-recognised institutions, such as Gent University (Belgium), University Collage of Dublin (Ireland), University of Minho (Portugal), Polytechnico di Torino (Italy)etc. Finally, the potential industrial exploitation of the proposed technology for the processing of high-tech biomedical materials/devices, but also other potential applications (i.e. as filtration, separation, sensing, and drug delivery systems) by using same technological platform may bring direct socio-economic benefit by contributing to the Slovenian economic growth and competitiveness.
Most important scientific results
Interim report,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Final report
