Opus LAP
Opus LAP project (National Science Center) titled “Engineering Biocompatible and Bioactive Stents for Improved Endothelial Integration in Cardiovascular Applications” (Contract number: 2024/55/I/ST5/02185).
This project aims to develop next-generation bioactive, slowly degradable stents for applications in cardiovascular disease. By combining naturally derived and synthetic polymers, the stents will feature improved mechanical stability, biocompatibility, and the ability to support the growth of a functional endothelial cell layer. A bioactive surface will be incorporated to enhance the interaction between the stent and surrounding tissue, improving long-term performance.
The work will involve advanced material synthesis, characterization, drug release studies, antibacterial assays, and biological evaluation under in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo conditions using a porcine model. The project will also utilize volumetric bioprinting to deposit functional layers inside the stent lumen, as well as computational simulations and perfusion bioreactor systems to optimize design and performance. The final goal is to deliver a prototype of a 3D-printed or casted bioactive stent with proven tissue compatibility and mechanical stability, paving the way for improved cardiovascular implants.
The Opus project includes international collaboration with the Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, providing access to complementary expertise and facilities.
The OPUS LAP grant will be carried out at the Center for Advanced Technologies of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań between 2026 and 2029. Job offers for a postdoctoral researcher and PhD students will be announced soon. Individuals interested in joining the project are welcome to contact the Head of the Laboratory via email.
Project description:
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in developed countries, with coronary artery disease (CAD) as a primary contributor. The introduction of stents revolutionized the treatment of CAD, enabling effective percutaneous coronary revascularization. Over time, coronary stents have advanced from bare metal designs to drug-eluting stents (DES) that integrate pharmacological therapies. While stents address some limitations of balloon angioplasty, they also trigger acute thrombus formation and neointimal hyperplasia. First-generation DES significantly reduced in-stent restenosis but delayed healing, increasing the risk of late stent thrombosis and long-term clinical complications. Despite these improvements, stents still face fundamental issues of incompatibility with vascular tissue, which remain inadequately addressed. Tissue engineering provides a potential solution to these limitations.
The project combines the usage of several naturally derived polymers of outstanding mechanical properties, biodegradability, biocompatibility and synthetic polymers which significantly improves the stability and mechanical properties of the scaffolds. Incorporation of anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-thrombotic agents will reduce the risk of infection, hyperplasia and acute thrmbosis is another advantage of the project.
This project aims to design, synthesize, and fabricate biocompatible, slowly degradable stents that support the adhesion and maintenance of an endothelial cell monolayer. The proposed material will be cast using a custom-built casting system, with detailed fluid dynamics simulations to optimize flow performance. Advanced physicochemical analyses, including solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy mechanical properties (rheology, dynamic mechanical analysis, compression and tensile properties) and surface properties will assess and fine-tuned with the that of the native tissue. Moreover, potential free radical generation during polymerization as well as nitric oxide release from the stents will be studied using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. In the final stages, the feasibility of depositing a bioactive layer (consisting of anti-bacterial, anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory drugs) inside the stent lumen using a novel volumetric bioprinter will be evaluated. Drug release studies and the anti-bacterial potential will be performed on different Staphylococcus species. The biological interactions between the biomaterial, stent, and perfusion system will also be thoroughly investigated. Moreover, the simulations will be performed using the physiological properties of developed DES and will be compared with the real time scenario created using perfusion systems. The simulation and real-time data will be compared and a model for in silico testing will be delivered which can be potentially utilized for future studies.
The primary goal is to establish conditions for developing mechanically stable, casted or 3D-printed stents capable releasing drugs whilesupporting endothelial cell layer maintenance. The research hypothesis proposes that the resulting 3D bioactive stents will serve as optimal, biocompatible scaffolds for endothelial cell growth, with potential applications in cardiac tissue engineering. The detailed effect of solvent casted or3D printed stents on cell growth, behavior and the interactions among endothelial cells will be examined at in vitro and ex vivo conditions in the coustom made device imitating blood flow. Comprehensive biomechanical properties will be carefully investigated to enable proper, long-term stability. The obtained results will demonstrate the design of novel biocompatible stents for tissue integration that can be useful for designing devices for treating cardiovascular diseases.
Team Members:
Principal Investigator
Postdocs:
We are looking for passionate postgraduates who share our excitement for either cell biology or 3D bioprinting, materials engineering.