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Electrospun, double-layered scaffolds for 3D Skin Tissue Engineered
This project is part of the Zurich Hochschulmedizin Flagship Project “Skintegrity”, with a collaboration between ETHZ and USZ. The student, who ideally has experience in electrospinning and cell culture, will participate in the development of double-layered nanonfibrous scaffolds for 3D skin tissue engineering.
Although skin tissue engineered is already in clinical use for many years and has developed greatly during this time, currently used products still have major limitations, such as high costs. Most of the current tissue engineered models are based on hydrogels made of collagen and these entail specific disadvantages: low stiffness, strong contraction, batch-to batch variability and a risk for immune reactions. More recently, synthetic nanofibrous scaffolds have become apparent alternatives for 3D skin tissue engineering. Electrospun scaffolds made of Polycaprolactone (PCL) are suitable candidates as they are bioresorbable and nontoxic, with tunable physical and mechanical properties and similarities to the structure of native collagen fibers.
In this project, double-layered scaffolds will be produced by combining normal electrospinning with cryoelectrospinning to provide one side suitable for fibroblast infiltration and one side suitable for keratinocyte adhesion. Tuning of scaffold properties (fiber diameter, pore size) as well as introduction of biological modifications can further enhance cellular responses and ensure phenotypic stability.
Although skin tissue engineered is already in clinical use for many years and has developed greatly during this time, currently used products still have major limitations, such as high costs. Most of the current tissue engineered models are based on hydrogels made of collagen and these entail specific disadvantages: low stiffness, strong contraction, batch-to batch variability and a risk for immune reactions. More recently, synthetic nanofibrous scaffolds have become apparent alternatives for 3D skin tissue engineering. Electrospun scaffolds made of Polycaprolactone (PCL) are suitable candidates as they are bioresorbable and nontoxic, with tunable physical and mechanical properties and similarities to the structure of native collagen fibers. In this project, double-layered scaffolds will be produced by combining normal electrospinning with cryoelectrospinning to provide one side suitable for fibroblast infiltration and one side suitable for keratinocyte adhesion. Tuning of scaffold properties (fiber diameter, pore size) as well as introduction of biological modifications can further enhance cellular responses and ensure phenotypic stability.
The goal of this project is to create different versions of the double-layered, electrospun scaffold (ETHZ) and to characterize these scaffolds in terms of scaffold properties by SEM and AFM (ETHZ) and biological functionality (USZ), following treatment with or without pro-fibrotic stimuli to model healthy and pathological skin. Biological characterization will include methods such as qPCR, histology, immunohistochemistry and ELISA.
The project will be supervised by PD Dr. Astrid Jüngel (USZ) and Prof. Dr. Karin Wuertz-Kozak (ETHZ). The ideal candidate already has practical experience in cell/molecular biology and/or electrospinning. A background in chemistry is furthermore of advantage (biological modifications). We are specifically interested in candidates that would work on the project > 6 months due to the complexity and broad range of methods.
Tasks: 10% Literature Review, 20% scaffold production, 60% Cell culture and analysis, 10% Documentation
The goal of this project is to create different versions of the double-layered, electrospun scaffold (ETHZ) and to characterize these scaffolds in terms of scaffold properties by SEM and AFM (ETHZ) and biological functionality (USZ), following treatment with or without pro-fibrotic stimuli to model healthy and pathological skin. Biological characterization will include methods such as qPCR, histology, immunohistochemistry and ELISA. The project will be supervised by PD Dr. Astrid Jüngel (USZ) and Prof. Dr. Karin Wuertz-Kozak (ETHZ). The ideal candidate already has practical experience in cell/molecular biology and/or electrospinning. A background in chemistry is furthermore of advantage (biological modifications). We are specifically interested in candidates that would work on the project > 6 months due to the complexity and broad range of methods. Tasks: 10% Literature Review, 20% scaffold production, 60% Cell culture and analysis, 10% Documentation
Karin Wuertz-Kozak, kwuertz@ethz.ch / Institute for Biomechanics, HPP-O12, ETH Zürich / Professorship Wuertz-Kozak
Karin Wuertz-Kozak, kwuertz@ethz.ch / Institute for Biomechanics, HPP-O12, ETH Zürich / Professorship Wuertz-Kozak
Each year the IDEA League offers the students of its partner universities over 180 monthly grants for a short-term research exchange. In general, these grants are awarded based on academic merit. For more information visit http://idealeague.org/student-grant/