09/5 Mechanobiology and simulation for tissue-engineering

		Techniques for functional soft-tissue repair

This subproject is focused on the synthesis of soft-tissue computational modeling, mechanical design and process control to develop bioreactors which can ultimately produce tissue implants with patient-specific tissue morphology and properties. The target tissue chosen is the intervertebral disc (highest socio-economic relevance).

Aspects being addressed in this project include:

• development of a mathematical model of the internal mechanical environment in bioreactors to define the necessary mechanical and hydrodynamic stimuli which induce appropriate tissue differentiation
  
• simulation of the hydraulic and solute permeability and metabolic requirements of soft-tissues to develop appropriate strategies for in vitro tissue perfusion
  
• simulation of the chemical swelling response of engineered soft-tissues to ensure the required tissue composition for adequate load support.
  

A further technical detail to be specified is the construction of the physical interface between the tissue and bioreactor to achieve the desired load transfer and solute transport characteristics.