Project R-16622

Cartilage Scaffold Sculpting via Volumetric Hydrogel Overprinting (Research)

Articular cartilage exhibits a highly organized, depthdependent architecture with distinct mechanical and biochemical gradients that are not recapitulated by current hydrogel-based scaffolds. Most synthetic matrices display poorly controlled mechanics, and provide limited spatial control over bioactive cues, restricting their translational potential. SCULPT proposes a modular platform based on uniform PEG-derived hydrogels constructed via light-promoted end-group linking, enabling the formation of well-defined polymer networks with precisely controlled crosslink density and architecture. Mechanical properties will be systematically tuned via structurally defined macromolecular building blocks, allowing access to stiffness regimes relevant to the different cartilage zones. Bioactive motifs will be covalently integrated into the network to exhibit cell-instructive signaling while preserving mechanical integrity. To reproduce the hierarchical organization of native tissue, layered constructs with depthdependent mechanical properties will be fabricated using tomographic volumetric additive manufacturing, enabling rapid volumetric overprinting of mechanically distinct hydrogel regions with high spatial resolution. By combining molecular precision, mechanical programmability, and spatially controlled biofunctionality, this work establishes a new generation of synthetic scaffolds capable of advancing regenerative strategies for osteochondral repair.

01 April 2026 - 31 March 2030