In-vitro-evaluation of additive manufactured alginate-hydrogels for the cranio-maxillofacial area
Investigator: Viktoria Meudt (Master Studentin) 
Betreuer: Dr. Rainer Detsch, Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Aldo Boccaccini
Despite the challenges to create biomaterials with defined mechanical properties and long-term stability, ensuring the biocompatibility is yet another key aspect in the development of materials for biomedical applications. The interaction between cells and biomaterials can be judged by the cell morphology and expression levels of different proteins, e. g. house-keeping proteins and inflammatory mediators. Materials like alginate, which is among the most extensively studied, show several desirable properties such as their natural occurrence, low cytotoxicity and their ability to form gels under mild conditions [1, 2]. The structural similarity of alginate to the extra cellular matrix (ECM) leads to its compatibility with a broad range of cell types, however alginate itself does not possess any cell binding sites. The aim of this project is the establishment of a biocompatibility assay which is suitable for bioinert materials, including alginate hydrogels.
[1] Lee KY, Mooney DJ. Alginate: properties and biomedical applications. Progress in polymer science. 2012;37(1):106-126.
[2] Augst AD, Kong HJ and Mooney DJ. Alginate Hydrogels as Biomaterials. Macromol. Biosci. 2006,6: 623–633.
