Research areas and methodologies

The Research Unit of Tissue Engineering and Engineering Chemistry carries out research activities in the interdisciplinary field of engineering, physico-chemical and life sciences.

Among the main lines of research are: i) synthesis of biomaterials and nanomaterials (in particular, nano-bioceramics and nano-hydrogels) for the controlled release of active and/or therapeutic ingredients in different application scenarios; ii) development of in vitro models of organ physiopathology through the use of additive manufacturing technologies (bioprinting) and organ-on-chip approaches; iii) process intensification methodologies through in-flow chemistry strategies, using microfluidics as an enabling technology; iv) fabrication and characterization of non-woven woven fibers by electrospinning techniques for tissue engineering, for antimicrobial applications and in the sensor field; (v) development of advanced light-curing materials for high resolution (<3nm) 200D microfabrication with biocompatible and/or stimuli-responsive properties.

Collaborations with other Research Centers

  • CNR-IFN – Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnology (Rome pole) of the CNR with which, in 2013, a joint laboratory in nanotechnology for life sciences "nano4life" was established
  • CNR-NANOTEC Institute of Nanotechnology in Rome and Lecce
  • CNR-IFC Institute of Clinical Physiology, Pisa branch
  • Istituto Superiore di Sanita
  • IDI-IRCSS Dermopathic Institute of the Immaculate Conception
  • COT – Polyspecialist Clinical Institute, Messina
  • Regina Elena National Cancer Institute IRCCS, Virology Laboratory – Rome
  • National agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development, ENEA "Casaccia"
  • University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies
  • University of Palermo, Department of Engineering
  • University of Naples "Federico II", Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials and Industrial Production
  • University of Modena and Reggio Emilia - Department of Engineering "Enzo Ferrari"
  • Turin Polytechnic, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Institut Curie, U 830 - Genetics and biology of cancers - Paris, France
  • Politecnico di Milano - "Giulio Natta" Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering
  • Université du Luxembourg - Department of Physics and Materials Science
  • Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany.

Patents

  • Crescenzi A, Trombetta M, Taffon C, Rainer A, Mozetic P, Costantini M, Santoro A (2016) Porous material for embedding cytological preparations, procedure for obtaining the same and its use, pat. No. 102016000111352
  • Chiono V, Mozetic P, Giannitelli P, Rainer A, Trombetta M, Boffitto M, Gioffredi E, Sartori S (2015), Method for the preparation of cellular constructs based on thermosensitive hydrogels, pat. No. 102015000020718
  • Centola M, Marsano A, Rainer A, Martin I, Vadala G, Trombetta M, Denaro V (2013), Bioactive material for cartilage regeneration and process for obtaining the same, pat. No. 102016000111352

LABORATORIES

Cell/organ-on-a-chip devices allow to recapitulate, in a small size and with a high control over the culture parameters, the physiology of whole organs, and are emerging as a possible future alternative to the animal model for drug screening studies and toxicology. These devices are based on the 2D/3D culture (also in association with biomaterial hydrogels) of cells confined within microfluidic channels, obtained by soft-lithographic replication in PDMS of a master fabricated by optical/electronic lithography.

The production of biphasic systems (foams and emulsions) within flow-focusing (FF) or T-junction (TJ) geometries as templates for the fabrication of porous polymeric materials with a priori controllable morphologies, unlike conventional techniques, allow regulate independently, and with high accuracy, the volume of the dispersed phase (on which the total porosity of the system depends) and the diameter of the bubbles/droplets (ie the size of the pores). In addition the use of FF geometries is also used for the synthesis of polymer nanocarriers via droplet generation based microfluidics using a chip equipped with a pneumatic microactuator, this approach allows active tuning of the hydrodynamic flow focus geometry (HFF) , thus modulating the diameter of the microdroplets produced.

The development of microfluidic systems for multi-material and/or multi-cellular 3D deposition associated with additive manufacturing processes (bioprinting) is another research area of ​​the Research Unit. The use of microfluidic printheads, coupled with micropositioning systems, allows the fabrication of tissue engineering constructs characterized by high spatial resolution able to mimic the histoarchitecture of natural biological tissues. The laminar flow conditions inside the dispensing head allow the creation of core-shell or janus geometries, which further expand the potential applications of this technology.

The research line on the development of non-woven fibers deals with the development of new innovative nanomaterials through a "green chemistry" approach for the creation of systems with different functions such as:

  • antimicrobial and antiviral properties to be used for the manufacture of face filters (FFP) for respiratory protection.
  • sensory properties for the detection and capture of volatile pollutants such as for example volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The realization of these systems is obtained both thanks to the realization of composite systems of polymeric fibers loaded with nanoparticles of various nature and functionality, both by direct functionalization of the polymers making up the non-woven fabrics by means of, and by the use of needle electrospinning systems coaxial for the manufacture of core/sheath structure fibers with functional and/or structural characteristics.