Research group: Biomaterials and Drug Fabrication
The research group of Biomaterials and Drug Fabrication (BDF) was established in 2020 in integration with the Research Group of Pharmaceutical Printing that was founded by Prof. Niklas Sandler (2009-2020). The BDF research group has a goal to provide novel biomaterials and drug delivery systems to biomedical and pharmaceutical fields with a particularly focus engaging natural polymers, nanocomposites, application of advanced fabrication tools such as 3D (bio)printing.
A research interest of BDF group is on developing chemistry and material approaches to engineer high-performance natural material-based bioinks for 3D bioprinting in service of fabrication of cell culture platforms and tissue mimics. The major catalogue of natural materials include but not limited to biomass-derived biopolymers and lignocellulosic nanomaterials. The BDF group builds up its expertise in several areas by exploiting different disciplines and they are referred to biopolymers for biomaterials, cellulosic nanomaterials in constructing biomedical hydrogels, bioceramics and their composite materials, additive fabrication technology such as 3D (bio)printing for both constructing in vitro biomedical models and fabricating drug delivery systems.
An important aspect is the development and research of characterization tools in terms of nano-scaled morphology and rheology of novel biomaterials that are crucial for understanding of the material characteristics and correlation mechanism with their applications. The group is part of the BioCity Biomaterials and Medical Devices Research program. The BDF group is also in close collaboration with Laboratory of Natural Materials Technology, Ã…AU.
Group leader: Academy Research Fellow, Dr. Xiaoju Wang
Contact: xiaoju.wang@abo.fi
Research Projects:
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Sustainable nanocellulose-based bioinks towards diverse material functionalities and therapeutic delivery of bioactive cues (SusCellInk), Akademy of Finland Research Fellow project, 33158, 01.09.2020-31.08.2025, (PI)
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DLP printing in fabricating drug-releasing tablet/devices with engaging photoreactive natural polymer and cellulosic nanomaterials in API-containing resin formulations, Industrial project/Bayer, 2021, (Co-PI)
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Photocurable Ink Formulations of GrowInk with UV Crosslinkable Biopolymers, Industrial project/UPM Biomedicals, 2020, (PI)
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Healing the wounds with the Finnish Woods: Conductive hydrogel scaffolds of cellulosic nanomaterials and polysaccharide biopolymers for delivery of bioactive cues in soft tissue engineering, Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, 01.09.2019 – 31.08.2022, (PI)
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‘Renewing Biomedicine with Biopolymers: Engineering nanocellulose hydrogel scaffolds for the delivery of bioactive cues in soft tissue engineering (BioforBio)’, Tandem Forest Values research program funded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, TFV 2018-0029, 01.2019-12.2020, (Co-PI, with PIs: Prof. Stefan Willför and Prof. Lars Wågberg)
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3D printing of drug formulation, Industrial project/Roche, 2019, (PI)
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Electrical array with dual functionality allowing for electrically controlled anti-inflammatory drug delivery and galvanic wound stimulation, Academy of Finland Postdoctoral Researcher project, 268455, (01.09.2013 – 16.07.2017), (PI)