Hidrogéis contendo grafeno e células para a regeneração do osso

The aim of the HY4Bone project is to develop natural polymer-based Thiol-Maleimide injectable in situ forming hydrogels reinforced with Dopamine-reduced Graphene Oxide (DrGO) and loaded with Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) for a photothermally-enhanced bone tissue regeneration. The core materials driving the hydrogels in situ formation will be Thiol- and Maleimide-functionalized polymers, which are going to be obtained by grafting natural polymers (e.g. alginate, chitosan, hyaluronic acid, gelatin) with these functional units. Such will be crucial to attain hydrogels with a fast gelation (< 90 sec) and a top-of-the-class biocompatibility/biodegradability. The injectable in situ forming hydrogels will also incorporate DrGO in their matrix, which one-of-a-kind material recently produced by my research team. This nanomaterial is capable of reinforcing the hydrogels’ mechanical properties and inducing per se osteogenic differentiation. As importantly, DrGO can perform multiple local mild-hyperthermic effects (42 – 45 °C) upon NIR laser irradiation, which can further boost osteogenesis. On the other hand, MSCs will also be loaded on the hydrogel, protecting them from shear-force induced cell death. The photothermal heating produced upon NIR laser irradiation will trigger the MSCs’ release from the hydrogel, and their subsequent osteogenic differentiation (catalysed by DrGO and by the repeated mild hyperthermia), leading to an improved osteogenesis. Up to now, cell-laden NIR-responsive injectable hydrogels incorporating DrGO for photothermally-enhanced bone repair have not yet been developed. In this way, the execution of the HY4Bone project will result in the development of a beyond-the-of-the-art technology that can be used to accelerate exponentially the healing of bone fractures. Such is crucial, considering that the elderly population has a very limited capacity to heal broken bones, reducing their mobility and, consequently, quality of life.