Research
Bone and cartilage regeneration
It was estimated that 80% of individuals over the age of 65 have signs of osteoarthritis (OA) development in at least one joint of their bodies. OA is a musculoskeletal condition described as loss of articular cartilage within synovial joints. As OA progresses, this loss of cartilage leads to bones rubbing against each other, resulting in joint pain, tenderness, crepitus, and other symptoms. However, osteochondral (OC) repair is an extremely challenging topic due to the complex biphasic structure and poor intrinsic regenerative capability of natural osteochondral tissue. We aim to regulate bone and cartilage regeneration by tuning the compositional and structural characteristics of biodegradable scaffolds.
Nerve regeneration
Annually, millions of people worldwide suffering from peripheral nerve injury, which often causes weakness, numbness and pain. During the spontaneous nerve recovery process, axon sprouts grow parallel to the tubular structure of nerve fibers, bridging the nerve gap under the guidance of highly ordered Schwann cells. However, if disorganized axonal sprouts form, or if the oriented axonal sprouts cannot traverse the entire nerve defect due to complications, nerve recovery fails. In such cases, external intervention is required. Polymer-based nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) provide a promising strategy for repairing large nerve gaps by bridging the proximal and distal ends of nerve defects in a manner that not only guides the aligned growth of axonal sprouts but also prevents the ingrowth of undesired cells such as fibroblasts. We aim to design novel biodegradable NGCs to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration.
Drug delivery
Direct administration of drugs often causes complications, such as short half-life and heavy side effects. Encapsulating drugs into micro/nano-sized carriers provides an effective strategy. We aim to prolong the blood circulation and enhance the drug delivery efficiency of drug delivery carriers by regulating their 4S parameters (size, shape, stiffness, and surface functionalization).