Project title

Production of bacterial cellulose membranes coated with hydroxyapatite for bone regeneration.

Scientific Coordinator's name:

Rui Coelho

Scientific Coordinator's e-mail:

ruicoelho@boneeasy.cpm

Principal R&D Unit:

University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

Other R&D Units involved in the project:

CEMUP, Porto, Portugal BoneEasy, Porto, Portugal

Project keyword(s)

Guided bone regeneration, Biomimetic mineralization, Bacterial Cellulose, Hydroxyapatite.

Short abstract and comments

Bone is a dynamic structure susceptible to pathological or defect-based scenarios capable of compromising its correct function. Advanced yet simple solutions are attractive to the medical community, being guided bone regeneration (GBR) one of the possible approaches. In this context, bacterial cellulose (BC) arises as an appealing non-resorbable natural origin strategy, with interesting properties that stimulate research to tailor it to fit the strict requirements of bone-directed solutions. The development of BC membranes coated with hydroxyapatite to be used both as a barrier and as a promoter of bone regeneration, in GBR, was the main goal of the work. These were prepared following a biomimetic approach and demonstrate interesting properties to be proposed for GBR applications.

Potential uses/indications

Dentists who resort to bone regeneration procedures during their clinical activity, namely guided bone regeneration techniques.