The Use of Layered Freeform Fabrication Technologies to Produce Tissue Engineering Scaffolds for Skull Patches

Congenital skull defects in infants are difficult to correct using metal plates due to the growth of the skull. Tissue engineering of bone patches could be the answer to help such patients. Custom scaffolds have been designed based on Computed Tomography (CT) images of the patient’s skull. An in-house developed single screw extruder, casting and a commercial laser cutter has been evaluated in the fabrication of pure polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds as well as PCL mixed with hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds. Evaluation criteria for each process included the ability to maintain an optimal pore size for cells to proliferate, inclusion of micro surface properties for cell adhesion, incorporation of hydroxyapatite, and ability to maintain desired shape. The mechanical properties of the fabricated scaffolds will be presented in this paper as well as initial cell seeding results with human adipose-derived adult stem (hADAS) cells.Mechanical Engineerin

RV Kronprins Håkon (cruise no. 2019708) Longyearbyen – Longyearbyen 19.09. – 16.10.2019

The HACON cruise is a major component of the FRINATEK HACON project, which aims at investigating the role of the Gakkel Ridge and Arctic Ocean in biological connectivity amongst ocean basins and global biogeography of chemosynthetic ecosystems. The HACON study area is centered in the Aurora seamount and Aurora vent field