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Towards analyzing mechanoregulation in 3D bioprinted bone organoids
in vitro 3D bioprinted bone organoids with appropriate mechanical properties pose new opportunities to investigate bone biology and mechanics. This student project will focus on developing a padding method to enable running micro FE on CT-images of bone organoids and researching mechano-regulation.
Keywords: bone organoids, 3D printing, programming, Finite Analysis, CT, micro-computed tomography, python
Engineered scaffolds with appropriate mechanical properties for bone healing are sought to treat challenging fractures. They also pose a new opportunity to investigate bone biology and mechanics by creating in vitro bone organoids for research. Cell-seeded scaffolds are 3D-bioprinted and then cultured over multiple weeks to investigate bone tissue mineralization. Using micro computed Tomography (micro-CT), scaffolds are scanned weekly, to assess the process and progress of mineralization in the scaffolds.
Bone has been known to adapt its microstructure under mechanical loading by bone remodelling. The process, where bone is resorbed in places with low mechanical stimuli, and formed in places with high mechanical stimuli, is called mechano-regulation. This mechanism has been shown by simulating local mechanical stimuli using Finite Element (FE) analysis and correlating the results with areas of formation and resorbtion.
In order to achieve realistic FE results, the boundary conditions have to be accurate and adequate for the problem in question. However, the scaffolds we want to investigate are fairly uneven at the top and, combined with the low stiffness, this increases the difficulty of setting accurate boundary conditions. Previous research has shown, that for bone mechanoregulation analyses, adding a padding before the FE analysis leads to better and more realistic. This means adding artificial material at the top, to obtain a more realistic force flow into the bone.
Engineered scaffolds with appropriate mechanical properties for bone healing are sought to treat challenging fractures. They also pose a new opportunity to investigate bone biology and mechanics by creating in vitro bone organoids for research. Cell-seeded scaffolds are 3D-bioprinted and then cultured over multiple weeks to investigate bone tissue mineralization. Using micro computed Tomography (micro-CT), scaffolds are scanned weekly, to assess the process and progress of mineralization in the scaffolds. Bone has been known to adapt its microstructure under mechanical loading by bone remodelling. The process, where bone is resorbed in places with low mechanical stimuli, and formed in places with high mechanical stimuli, is called mechano-regulation. This mechanism has been shown by simulating local mechanical stimuli using Finite Element (FE) analysis and correlating the results with areas of formation and resorbtion. In order to achieve realistic FE results, the boundary conditions have to be accurate and adequate for the problem in question. However, the scaffolds we want to investigate are fairly uneven at the top and, combined with the low stiffness, this increases the difficulty of setting accurate boundary conditions. Previous research has shown, that for bone mechanoregulation analyses, adding a padding before the FE analysis leads to better and more realistic. This means adding artificial material at the top, to obtain a more realistic force flow into the bone.
The goal of this student project will be, to find a suitable padding method for the micro CT images of the scaffolds, so that a FE analysis will obtain realistic results. The scope of the project will include: literature review, develop method to create padding, run FE on images using the padding, validation.
Programming will be done in python; **programming experience would be helpful but not necessary!**
The goal of this student project will be, to find a suitable padding method for the micro CT images of the scaffolds, so that a FE analysis will obtain realistic results. The scope of the project will include: literature review, develop method to create padding, run FE on images using the padding, validation.
Programming will be done in python; **programming experience would be helpful but not necessary!**
If you're interested or have any questions regarding this project, don't hesitate to contact me:
Julia Griesbach
julia.griesbach@hest.ethz.ch
If you're interested or have any questions regarding this project, don't hesitate to contact me: