Project Description

This project is intended to design, develop and systematically investigate novel functionalized 4D printed bioactive glasses (BG; monodispersed mesoporous silica nanoparticles (nps)) with smart polymers (smart nanocomposite) that can release therapeutic ions which will have direct and rapid impact on osteoporosis, osteomyelitis and kill cancer cells. The distinctive aspect of these nps are that they deliver active therapy locally to where it is needed, and that the cargo is not a conventional drug but a sustained delivery of a combination of active inorganic cations. The cations will take part in cell signalling. Strontium ions from nps can control osteoporosis, and zinc can treat osteomyelitis. Zinc also reduces metastases migration from breast to bone by killing tumour cells more rapidly than healthy cells. Finally, 4D printed nanocomposite artificial bone ECM will be tested for shape memory function and programmed drug/therapeutic release.