Development of aerogel-based formulations for regenerative medicine

Abstract

The prevalence of infections and the absence of tissue regeneration motivate the study of new strategies for the manufacturing of bone implants. Dual porosity and drug loading into scaffolds are needed to promote the long-term new bone tissue formation while the customization of the implants is required in personalized medicine. In this PhD Thesis, a dual processing strategy was developed by combining the 3Dprinting and the supercritical fluid technologies to manufacture 3D-printed and sterile aerogels for bone tissue engineering applications. Furthermore, the monitoring of aerogels and their degradation products after implantation was studied in vivo for the first time. This work aims to endow bioaerogels with new capabilities while preserving their safety profile and advanced physicochemical performance.