Deans

Robert Uchin, D.D.S. – College of Dental Medicine

Award Date

1-1-2009

Abstract

In the future, healthcare workers will be expected to treat patient injuries, diseases and medical conditions by replacing diseased, injured and missing tissues with new replacement tissues grown in the laboratory. Scientific advances in the creation of novel tissue engineering scaffold materials, in vitro cell culture technology, tissue grafting, tissue engineering, molecular biology, and the human genome project provide the basis for the introduction of new technologies into the health professions disciplines. The goal of this research application is to help initiate tissue engineering research activity at NSU. The specific aim of this study is to pathohistometrically assess in vitro cell survival in tissue constructs created by using Stem cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous teeth (SHED) and oral mucosal periodontal stem cells (PSC). The SHED and PSC will be grown to confluence and seeded on three different types of 3-dimensional tissue engineering scaffolds: i) A natural Collagen composite scaffold manufactured from bovine hide. ii) A synthetic Open-Cell D,D-L,L-Polylactic Acid (OPLA) scaffold. iii) A Calcium Phosphate scaffold manufactured from mineralized calcium phosphate bioceramic. We selected SHED, PSC, and 3-dimensional scaffolds because of their excellent potential to regenerate bone, teeth, and other soft-tissue types. The funding of this novel research is needed to create pilot data for grant applications and publications to raise the profile of the University in this exciting field. The clinical application of these techniques has the potential to benefit millions of ordinary people of all ages suffering from congenital abnormalities, injuries, diseases and vulnerable populations suffering from serious medical conditions.

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