The recovery of damaged tissues and organs with the help of tissue engineering (TE) is a relatively young field of regenerative medicine. A promising strategy for generating functional biological replacement tissues is the imitation of the micro-environment of the biological system. The use of components of the extracellular matrix, techniques for the manufacture of two- and three-dimensional scaffolding structures as well as technologies for generating biomechanical and physiological impacts are therefore the main focuses of the cell-biological research of the department. Scientific activities focus on the following topics:
Preservation and recovery respectively of the biological functions of soft tissues
Vascularisation of TE constructs
Manufacture of cell-loaded 3D tissues
Development of colonisation strategies
Generation of in vitro model systems for toxicological tests
Various techniques and technologies are used for the investigations, e. g.:
3D printing of collagen-based inks
Bioprinting
Microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip systems
Technologies for the application of mechanical forces on cells (cell elongation)
Scaffolds, spheroids, cell sheets
In addition, typical routine investigations are characterisation of the cytocompatibility of medical products or determination of the endotoxin content.
