Tendon & Ligament
Through collaboration with VascLab and the Orthopaedic Research Group at the University of Western Australia and Orthocell Limited, we are developing different natural and synthetic scaffolds for tendon tissue engineering.
Tendons and ligaments have a low healing capability for severe injuries, such as tendon tear/rupture. The current tissue replacements are non-ideal and can lead to future problems such as high re-tear rates. To address this, alternative tissue engineering approaches are being followed using functional scaffolds. The interfaces of the tendon with bone represent complex structures, and this complexity must be considered in tissue-engineered strategies. However, the intricate structure and biocomposition of these interfaces make their functionality for tissue engineering applications challenging.
We are developing biodegradable scaffolds with gradients in mechanical and compositional properties through additive manufacturing technologies to mimic native tendon tissues.
