2.2 million cases of critical-size bone defects occur annually worldwide due to trauma, infection, or surgical procedures. Conventional bone grafting methods often face challenges such as limited availability, potential for rejection, and suboptimal integration with existing bone tissue.
Bioactive glass can form a hydroxyapatite layer in the body, enhancing compatibility with natural bone and promoting superior bone regeneration by releasing ions that trigger bone regeneration. However, commercially available bioactive glasses suffer from drawbacks like slow dissolution, incomplete conversion to hydroxyapatite and pose difficulties in processing porous scaffolds without adverse crystallization.
Borosilicate glass has emerged as a promising alternative. It shows accelerated and complete transformation into hydroxyapatite as well as reduced tendency for crystallization, during sintering, enabling the production of porous scaffolds. Additionally, boron has been shown to positively influence osteogenesis and angiogenesis.
Agata Szczodra’s doctoral research involved creating 3D porous borosilicate glass scaffolds that degrade at a controlled rate, supporting cell growth in vitro and promoting bone regeneration in vivo. It also explores how different glass compositions affect bone-related cell behavior and investigates the role of boron in promoting bone formation and new blood vessel growth, both in vitro and in vivo.
“By optimizing the release of ions from these scaffolds, we can enhance their compatibility with the tissue and support more effective bone healing,” Szczodra explains.
Szczodra’s research is particularly relevant today, given the rising demand for advanced medical solutions due to an aging global population and increasing cases of bone-related conditions. The findings have the potential to make bone grafting procedures safer and more effective in the future.
“This research contributes to the ongoing development of bioactive glasses and may offer new avenues for improving the effectiveness of bone grafting procedures”, Szczodra points out.
The next steps in this research involve exploring their potential for advanced applications, such as integrating them with biophotonic technologies for bioimaging, light-triggered drug release, or sensing.
Public defence on Friday 27 September
The doctoral dissertation of MSc (Tech) Agata Szczodra in the field of biomaterials titled In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of 3D Borosilicate Scaffolds will be publicly examined at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology at Tampere University at 13:00 on Friday 27.9.2024 at Hervanta campus, Rakennustalo, hall RG202 (Korkeakoulunkatu 5, Tampere). The Opponent will be Professor Elżbieta Pamuła from the AGH University of Science and Technology. The Custos will be Professor Jonathan Massera, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University.