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Biomimetic in vitro culture models for evaluation of novel bone substitute implants

Project title: Biomimetic in vitro culture models for evaluation of novel bone substitute implants
Recruiting and hosting institution: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy
Country: Serbia
PhD enrollment: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy
Supervisors: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy (RS): B. Obradovic, Politecnico di Torino (IT), F. Baino.
Objectives: To develop and utilize cell and tissue culture models for physiologically relevant evaluation of bone substitute implants.
Expected Results: Establishment of in vitro models for evaluation of biomaterials by using cultures of murine preosteoblast cells and porcine bone explants (ex vivo testing) and two biomimetic bioreactors imitating physiological conditions in bone tissue. 

Description: DC9 position is about investigating the following aspects

  1. Utilization of selected novel biomaterials anddevelopment of procedures for seeding of murine preosteoblast cells onto the samples; short- and longer-term cultivation of the obtained constructs in two biomimetic bioreactors: perfusion bioreactor and bioreactor with dynamic compression and perfusion, so to imitate the bone tissue environment.
  2. Utilization of selected novel biomaterials in cultures of porcine bone explants (ex vivo testing) under static as well as bioreactor conditions.
  3. Analysis of the effects of culture conditions (i.e. flowrate, shears stresses, dynamic compression, cell seeding density, geometry of the biomaterial-bone tissue construct) on selected biomaterials as well as cell- and bone tissue-biomaterial interactions (by determining biomaterial stability, cell distribution, viability and differentiation, morphological features of cells and explant tissue, gene expressions in cultivated cells and cytokine profiles in the culture media); validation of the developed in vitro models for preclinical physiologically relevant assessment of biomaterials by comprehensive analyses of the obtained results in comparison to those obtained in static cultures as well as to literature data on in vivo implantation of similar materials.

The Doctoral Candidates will interact with other members of the project’s DCs in a multidisciplinary setting by taking part in training sessions and workshops. Each DC will also conduct secondments in order to broaden her/his scientific understanding of the project’s subject and develop soft skills.