Håvard Haugen - How to Grow New Bone with the Aid of Engineering Principles?

Engineering principles to develop advanced biomaterials and scaffolds. This study focuses on utilising engineering principles to facilitate new bone growth, specifically in designing and fabricating bone scaffolds. The core of our investigation lies in applying titanium dioxide (TiO2) scaffolds, which have emerged as promising candidates due to their osteoconductive properties and the potential for enhancing bone tissue engineering.

Our research aims to bridge the gap between engineering and biology by harnessing fluid mechanics and material science to create scaffolds that mimic the natural bone environment. By comparing TiO2 scaffolds with commercial porous calcium phosphate biomaterials under simulated perfusion culture conditions, we delve into the mechanical and fluidic stimuli that are crucial for bone regeneration. The study emphasises the role of fluid dynamics to make better “spare-parts” for the human body, highlighting the importance of permeability, mechanical load transfer and wall shear stress with a porous ceramic.

Furthermore, we validate our fluid mechanic simulations with the impact of dynamic seeding techniques. Our findings demonstrate the superiority of dynamic culture conditions in enhancing the expression of bone-related proteins and genes, thereby facilitating more effective bone regeneration. In addition, the study presents a clinical trial that shows that these porous bioceramic functions well in patients. The trial's outcomes confirm the potential of TiO2 scaffolds for in vivo bone formation and showcase the successful integration of engineering principles in the development of biomaterials for tissue engineering.

This research underscores the pivotal role of engineering in advancing tissue engineering and biomaterials science. By leveraging engineering principles to optimise scaffold design and functionality, we pave the way for innovative strategies in bone regeneration, offering new hope for patients requiring bone tissue reconstruction.