Project

Implementation of a Bioreactor for Precision-Controlled Mechanical and Perfusion-Based Stimulation in Biomedical Research

Code
bof/bas/2025/113
Duration
01 December 2025 → 30 November 2027
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Animal cell and molecular biology
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Stem cell biology
  • Engineering and technology
    • Biomedical modelling
    • Cell, tissue and organ engineering
  • Agricultural and food sciences
    • Animal health engineering
    • Veterinary physiology, pathophysiology and biochemistry
Keywords
cellular differentiation perfusion in vitro models bioreactor controlled mechanical stimulation
 
Project description

Despite the huge number of clinical studies, the insights in the regenerative effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their mechanism of action are still limited. To this end, in vitro models are essential tools to realize controllable and reproducible conditions. Using a bioreactor, MSCs are subjected to mechanical stimulation, either tension, compression or electrical stimulation, which enables the complete differentiation in vitro of MSCs towards a specific cell type. With the first extension requested in this application (TC3-F), it is possible to control the mechanical stimulation and effectively measure the force which is applied to realize a certain tension or compression. The second extension enables perfusion, which is essential to mimic vascularization in vitro. With the third extension, 20 instead of 3 samples are in parallel subjected to mechanical stimulation. As such, larger experimental set-ups can be performed, gaining more reproducible data.