3D Printed Bioreactor System for Analysis of Trabecular Bone Remodelling

Osteoporosis is a prevailing skeletal disease that was diagnosed in over 2.3 million Canadians as of 2016-2017, with 80% of this population being women. Osteoporosis imposes many health complications such as increased likelihood of bone fractures and implant failures. Since bone is a dynamic material that is constantly remodelling, it’s important to understand how osteoporotic bone remodels and how different factors such as mechanical or biochemical stimuli affect this remodelling. Previous studies have successfully implemented a polycarbonate bioreactor system which can keep bone alive for up to seven weeks for long-term observation of trabecular bone remodelling. Studies in the Center for Health Innovation (CHI) have implemented a 3D printed bioreactor which is significantly less expensive than the polycarbonate bioreactor, and increases the possible bone core size to meet mechanical compression testing standards. The present study aims to validate this 3D printed bioreactor system in the Centro de Bioingeniería lab in Viña Del Mar, Chile. Bovine bone cores 10 mm x 10 mm will be maintained and observed over a 21-day period for bone mineralization while being subjected to mechanical and biochemical stimuli.

Faculty Supervisor:

Heidi-Lynn Ploeg

Student:

Partner:

Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

Queen's University

Program: