The purpose of this research program will be to introduce into the dental and biomedical community
a novel concept for bone augmentations, based on resorbable and customized scaffolds in polymeric and
calcium phosphate composite, produced with additive manufacturing technique. The advantages can be
found on the medical level in an enhanced graft that does not require the removal after the regeneration of
the bone tissue and on the economic level in the low cost of production consequently to the use of the
rapid prototyping, associated to inexpensive row materials, PLA and PCL and calcium phosphates. Additive
manufacturing or 3D printing, in fact, is one of the most promising contemporary technologies with the
ability to revolutionise, fasten, customise and decentralise manufacturing and that lead to a less expensive
product.
The development of novel bioresorbable scaffolds capable of stimulating bone regeneration and reducing
the morbidity associated with a second surgery is combined with a strategy aimed at lowering production
costs. This approach is intended to help reduce inequalities in oral health and might comply with the
necessity of the global healthcare system of socioeconomically ethical cures, with solutions for the
sustainable ecological and circular economy.
Such ambitious project must be necessarily based on a multidisciplinary research group, whose
competences range among engineering, material science, chemistry, biology and medicine/dentistry and
that can take advantage of high-level instrumentation present in the respective laboratories. The four
research units -the Universities of Genova, Brescia and Napoli and the CNR- each ones including groups of
different skills and with specific tasks, will have to work in synergy throughout the project's time frame.
Firstly, the team of Material Engineering at the University of Genova will be involved in the preparation of
calcium phosphate particles and in the mechanical, morphological, and chemical characterization of 3D-
printed polymeric scaffolds loaded with calcium phosphates, which will be fabricated by the Dentistry
Research Unit of the University of Genova.
Subsequently, the grafts will be optimized through: 1) doping of calcium phosphate powders with
antibacterial and osteoinductive metal ions (UNIGE); 2) functionalization with selected therapeutic agents;
and 3) incorporation of inorganic core–shell magnetoelectric nanoparticles (MENPs) from CNR, able to
generate localized electrical microstimuli capable of influencing both the controlled release of therapeutic
agents and the regeneration and immunomodulation of the surrounding tissue.
Biochemical and in vitro characterization of the scaffolds will be performed by the Biochemistry research
unit in Napoli, focusing on the evaluation of cytocompatibility, bioactivity, and cellular response.
Finally, in vivo tests to assess the regenerative potential and biological performance of the functionalized
scaffolds under physiological conditions will be carried out by an external group reporting to the Napoli
research unit.
The Brescia research unit will be responsible for the statistical analysis of all data relating both to the
chemical-physical and mechanical characterization of the composites, and to the in vitro and in vivo
biological studies.
a novel concept for bone augmentations, based on resorbable and customized scaffolds in polymeric and
calcium phosphate composite, produced with additive manufacturing technique. The advantages can be
found on the medical level in an enhanced graft that does not require the removal after the regeneration of
the bone tissue and on the economic level in the low cost of production consequently to the use of the
rapid prototyping, associated to inexpensive row materials, PLA and PCL and calcium phosphates. Additive
manufacturing or 3D printing, in fact, is one of the most promising contemporary technologies with the
ability to revolutionise, fasten, customise and decentralise manufacturing and that lead to a less expensive
product.
The development of novel bioresorbable scaffolds capable of stimulating bone regeneration and reducing
the morbidity associated with a second surgery is combined with a strategy aimed at lowering production
costs. This approach is intended to help reduce inequalities in oral health and might comply with the
necessity of the global healthcare system of socioeconomically ethical cures, with solutions for the
sustainable ecological and circular economy.
Such ambitious project must be necessarily based on a multidisciplinary research group, whose
competences range among engineering, material science, chemistry, biology and medicine/dentistry and
that can take advantage of high-level instrumentation present in the respective laboratories. The four
research units -the Universities of Genova, Brescia and Napoli and the CNR- each ones including groups of
different skills and with specific tasks, will have to work in synergy throughout the project's time frame.
Firstly, the team of Material Engineering at the University of Genova will be involved in the preparation of
calcium phosphate particles and in the mechanical, morphological, and chemical characterization of 3D-
printed polymeric scaffolds loaded with calcium phosphates, which will be fabricated by the Dentistry
Research Unit of the University of Genova.
Subsequently, the grafts will be optimized through: 1) doping of calcium phosphate powders with
antibacterial and osteoinductive metal ions (UNIGE); 2) functionalization with selected therapeutic agents;
and 3) incorporation of inorganic core–shell magnetoelectric nanoparticles (MENPs) from CNR, able to
generate localized electrical microstimuli capable of influencing both the controlled release of therapeutic
agents and the regeneration and immunomodulation of the surrounding tissue.
Biochemical and in vitro characterization of the scaffolds will be performed by the Biochemistry research
unit in Napoli, focusing on the evaluation of cytocompatibility, bioactivity, and cellular response.
Finally, in vivo tests to assess the regenerative potential and biological performance of the functionalized
scaffolds under physiological conditions will be carried out by an external group reporting to the Napoli
research unit.
The Brescia research unit will be responsible for the statistical analysis of all data relating both to the
chemical-physical and mechanical characterization of the composites, and to the in vitro and in vivo
biological studies.