The goal of this tissue engineering research theme is to construct multi-functional and bioactive vascular grafts and scaffold materials for use as small diameter blood vessel replacements.
The biodegradable micro-nano fibrous vascular materials are prepared by electrospinning and melt spinning methods. The pore structure, fiber orientation, mechanical properties, and degradation behavior of the vascular materials are fine tuned and optimized for favourable funcitonality.
Bioactive functionalisation of vascular scaffold materials, such as the immobilization of growth factors, anticoagulant molecules, endothelial cell capturing biomolecules, and vasoactive substances, etc., aims to achieve rapid cellularization, endothelialization, and vascualr layer regeneration.
Ideally, alogn with the timely and complete degradation of the scaffold material, the artificial blood vessels induce extracellular matrix deposition and remodelling to achieve the full functional regeneration of native blood vessel tissues and maintain long-term patency.