Tissue Engineering Research Group

Individual collagen-glycoaminoglycan (coll-GAG) scaffolds developed specifically for bone and cartilage repair, have been combined into multi-layered scaffolds through novel fabrication procedures and are currently being assessed with respect to their capacity to heal osteochondral defects.

Using coll-GAG or collagen-hydroxyapatite (coll-HA) scaffolds to mimic native extracellular matrix, our ongoing research seeks to generate a vascular network within these porous scaffolds and encase this vascular network with calcified matrix to create an in-vitro fabricated bone graft substitute.

In collaboration with our partners at the National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, Dublin City University, we are developing collagen-based carriers for corneal limbal stem cell transplantation.

Elastin has been incorporated into our collagen-based scaffolds (which exhibit high tensile properties) to develop small diameter vascular grafts with compliance similar to native vessels, which are currently being optimised to promote tissue formation in vitro and facilitate healing in vivo.

In collaboration with Dublin Institute of Technology, we are utilising novel engineering methods to create fibrin-infused collagen-based scaffolds to create 3D heart valve-shaped scaffolds.

In collaboration with the RCSI School of Pharmacy and NUIM's Department of Biology, we are designing growth factor-enhanced coll-GAG scaffolds for applications in respiratory drug development, disease modelling and airway regeneration.

Our scaffolds are being developed into targeted drug delivery platforms through the incorporation of bio-therapeutics such as drugs, proteins, peptides, and nucleic acids, thereby accelerating the healing capacity of these constructs.

Furthermore, we are pursuing the development of novel non-viral delivery vectors such as nano-hydroxyapatite, chitosan and PEI that can be used independently or in conjunction with the collagen-based scaffolds to enhance gene or nucleic acid delivery to cells.

In conjunction with MCT, the dynamic interaction between bacteria and bone cells during infection is being elucidated by using our collagen-based scaffolds to create a simplified in-vitro model system of bone. The incorporation of calcium phosphates into these collagen-based scaffolds is also being used to gain insight into the behaviour of breast carcinoma cells in pseudo un-mineralised and mineralised environments.

In collaboration with researchers in Trinity College Dublin, we are focused on the role of both cytoskeletal deformation and primary cilia as sensory mechanisms of mechanotransduction employed by mesenchymal stem cells, osteoblasts and osteocytes.

Our lab is specifically interested in identifying genes that are mechanically augmented in response to shear stress and how these genes subsequently regulate the recruitment and differentiation of cell subsets that are crucial to bone formation and resorption processes. We are also interested in elucidating how the mechanosensitivity of these cells is altered in disease states such as osteoporosis.

This aspect of our research focuses on bone biomechanics and osteoporosis. We are particularly focused on bone quality and the disparity between bone mineral density and bone fragility.Hierarchical studies of healthy and diseased bone, from whole bone mechanical testing down to gene expression analysis, identify early changes in the disease pathway.

In conjunction with basic research, we are working with industry partners to validate new diagnostic tools and early stage management of osteoporosis. The information gained in these studies is also being used to improve our ability to replace damaged or diseased bone in patients.