Dr. Kai Zheng received his PhD degree in Materials Science and Engineering at the Institute of Biomaterials, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany). Currently, he is an Associate Professor at Nanjing Medical University and the Deputy Director of Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Stomatological Translational Medicine. His current research interests include the development of bioactive glasses, bioactive hybrids, and nanocomposite hydrogels for regenerative medicine, with a special focus on orthopedic and dental applications.

Topic title: 3D printing of bioactive glass-containing composites for bone repair

Abstract:

Bioactive glasses (BGs) have gained significant attention due to their ability to bond with living bone, promoting osteogenesis and angiogenesis, making them ideal candidates for bone regeneration applications. Bone tissue engineering (BTE) has seen remarkable advancements with the emergence of 3D printing technologies. 3D printing of BGs alone still faces challenges such as insufficient mechanical strength. This work focuses on the development and characterization of bioactive glass-based composites for bone repair using 3D printing. Bioactive glass-based composites were formulated by incorporating BG particles in hydroxyapatite (HA) of varying compositions to achieve appropriate mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and osteogenic properties. The composites were processed using a DLP approach to fabricate patient-specific scaffolds and constructs tailored for bone defect repair. The influence of bioactive glass composition, BG/HA ratios, and sintering parameters on the structural integrity and biological performance of the printed composites were systematically investigated. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo studies were conducted to assess the bioactivity, cell adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation within the fabricated scaffolds. The results demonstrate the potential of 3D-printed bioactive glass-containing composites as promising biomaterials for enhancing bone regeneration and repair.