Fibre-based 3D implants from regenerated silk fibroin for intervertebral disc regeneration

• Applicant: Dr. Michael Wöltje
• Subject Area: Biomaterials
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 437213841

The "gold standard" for surgical treatment of intervertebral disc (IVD) associated pain is to perform a spinal fusion of adjacent vertebrae to stabilize segmental instability. Such a fusion in fact may eliminate pain but it do not restore disc function and lead to further degeneration of adjacent vertebrae. Thus, a new silk fibre based flexible 3D structure with adequate structural mechanical stability will be explored, which assures structural integrity of a healthy and native IVD. Therefore, a novel spinning process for solvent-free spinning of fibres from regenerated silk will be investigated. From these fibres a 3D patch will be developed consisting of an isotropic porous net shape nonwoven structure as inner part and joined into a ring-shaped multilayer of anisotropic flat lamellar structures with alternating fibrous orientation of unidirectionally positioned silk fibres generated by tailored fibre placement. Additionally, adequate amounts of growth factors will be used for functionalisation during silk fibre spinning to induce a IVD specific cell response within the 3D patch. Moreover, cells of a IVD specific progenitor cell population will be cultivated on those growth factor functionalised 3D patches and the influence of physiological loading conditions on the cells will be systematically investigated. The results of the project will allow to assess the potential regenerative capacity of complex functionalised 3D structures from silk filaments for regeneration of degenerated IVDs instead of today’s “gold standard” therapy.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Switzerland
• Partner Organisation: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds (SNF)
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Dr. Ben Gantenbein