The intricacies of biomaterials explained for everyone! Prof. Moroni speaks on BNR radio

When body tissue can no longer repair itself alone, outside help is needed!

This help can consist of different supportive biomaterials that may come in different forms, such as implants or scaffolds. Not all biomaterials possess the same capacity to “communicate” with the surrounding host tissue. This is why in InterLynk we are pushing the frontiers of biomaterial research, aiming to design biomaterials able to establish the right “channel of communication” with cells in the surrounding body tissue.

As Prof. Moroni explains in the podcast, “biomaterials need to provide bodily cells with elementary instructions so that those cells can start creating the building blocks of tissues that need to be regenerated”. He likens the situation to a symphonic orchestra where all players have to act in tune. In a similar way, the different biological signals among identical or different cell types have to be aligned, assuring that the kind of biological information which is exchanged, is understood by everyone.

“It is key here to design biomaterials that can provide this multitude of biological signals to cells and vice versa”, says Prof. Moroni. He explains that when cells respond with signals, things start getting more complex, as the biomaterials need to be able to adapt to those signals and coexist with cells to develop the tissue further.  

We may think of this scenario as a construction site, where the biomaterial is placed into the body like a skeleton into a building. Included are construction workers and contractors helping our cells to rebuild the needed tissues.

Click here to listen to the original Podcast in Dutch, with Prof. Moroni’s parts in English.

Read on to learn more about Prof. Moroni’s role in InterLynk and about Moroni Lab’s research into the development of new biofabrication technologies.

Stay tuned for InterLynk updates on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 

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