Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Injectable biomaterials, in particular hydrogels, are increasingly used for the development of minimally invasive and personalized biomedical treatments. They allow to form injectable scaffolds containing cells and/or drugs to treat pathologies or repair tissues. They are also used as bioinks or support bath for bioprinting of 3D models and implantable living tissues. More generally, they can form complex 3D structures by electrospinning, electrospraying, microfluidic or other biofabrication approaches. For all these purposes, a thorough characterization of material viscoelastic and rheological properties is key during the design and validation of the materials and processes. This proposal aims to fund the acquisition of an MCR302 rheometer to replace an old rheometer acquired by Sophie Lerouge in 2010, which has unfortunately reached the end of its life. For 13 years, this equipment was used on a daily basis (>80% of the time) and has played a key role in Professors Lerouge and Ahmadi's research in the field of biomaterials and biofabrication, leading to more than 50 peer-review papers over the past 10 years, as well as patents and industrial contracts. There is an urgent need to replace it, as there is no other rheometer at the CHUM research center (CRCHUM) where the two researchers have set up their laboratories. The MCR302 rheometer by Anton Paar enables any type or combination of rheological tests, both in rotational and oscillatory mode. Most importantly, it is compatible with all the accessories previously acquired for the MCR301 system (Pelletier cooling system, sample holders, glass sample holder, optic fiber and camera for photopolymerization during rheometry). This strongly reduces its cost compared to all competitors. The rheometer will be used for the design and evaluation of smart hydrogels used as injectable scaffold for blood vessel occlusion, cell therapy of cancer, vascular and orthopedic diseases, microbial encapsulation, bioinks and support bath for 3D bioprinting and various biofabrication techniques, to name just a few projects leaded by Lerouge and Ahmadi. It will allow to study the injectability, shear-thinning behavior, gelation kinetic and viscoelastic properties, in response to several stimuli such as temperature, pH or UV/visible light, the impact of formulations and sterilization methods etc. It can also be used for the characterization of biological tissue and living constructs and will be accessible for external academic and industrial users. The acquisition of the MCR302 rheometer will have a significant impact on health, economy and training in Canada, as biofabrication and injectable scaffolds have enormous potential and represent a rapidly growing market. What's more, Lerouge and Ahmadi are already working closely with industry in these ground-breaking areas