A Novel, Enhanced Performance Solution for Tissue Grafts

Innovation: Researchers at the University of Missouri have developed a novel solution to quickly conjugate nanoparticles to tissue grafts to improve graft performance. These grafts can be autografts (patient’s own tissue) or commercially available allografts, xenografts, or other natural materials such as collagen or 3D printed tissues. The nanoparticles can be any ceramic, metallic, polymeric, composite or degradable material. The procedure takes less than 15 minutes enabling it to be easily performed in surgical suite settings and making the enhanced graft readily available.

Background:

With an increasing patient population age and rise in musculoskeletal disorder cases, along with a trend toward minimally invasive procedures, the demand for bone/tissue grafts is rising. A commonly observed problem with graft surgeries besides graft acceptance is graft performance. Graft regenerations and remodeling are two primary courses that define the course of healing and life of a graft. Conjugation of nanoparticles to grafts enable the custom engineering of improved graft performance, including accelerated healing, improved cellularization/integration, and decreased inflammation. MU’s novel solution for tissue grafts provides a biologically compatible, non-toxic method o quickly (in the operating room) engineer patient autografts with desired enhanced properties.

Applications:

• Bone and soft tissue grafting for spinal fusion, traumatic injuries, joint reconstruction, dental bone grafting etc.

Advantages:

• The solution can rapidly conjugate nanoparticles to graft tissues and the perocedure is easy to perform

Patent status:

• Pending

Additional Details