Cell and tissue engineering research group
- Keywords: Stem cells, biomaterials, tissue engineering, biocompatibility, differentiation, signal transduction
The group seek to develop the 鈥瀐ard鈥� and the 鈥瀞oft 鈥� artificial tissues based on microstructured polymeric scaffolds and autologic adult stem cells.
Research group activities
Development of artificial tissues as a part of regenerative medicine is an interdisciplinary area of science, linking biomedical, technological sciences and engineering. It is one of the most exciting and rapidly growing areas in biomedical engineering, whose goal is to assemble scaffolds, cells and growth-stimulating factors 鈥� generally referred to as the tissue engineering triad - into functionally active constructs that can replace or restore damaged tissue and organs. However, tissue engineering is related not only to tissue and organ replacement, but these systems in addition to biomedical applications might be used for non-therapeutic applications, i.e. as model systems to study cell behaviour, as biosensors to detect biological or chemical threat agents, as tissue chips that can be used to test the toxicity of an experimental medication.
As the properties of different tissues and the needs vary, the tasks of our group are:
- to choose relevant material for tissue fabrication;
- to develop techniques for its microstructurization and/or chemical modification;
- to evaluate the biocompatibility of the developed scaffolds;
- to elucidate the properties of cells grown on these scaffolds;
- to examine functionality of artificial tissue constructs in vivo.
Proposal
- Screening of biomaterials/novel chemical compounds;
- Cell cytotoxicity studies;
- Development of methods for cell isolation;
- Cellular microenvironment modelling in vitro;
- Construction and testing of scaffolds designed for regenerative medicine;
- Fabrication of artificial tissues.
Meet our team
Lead researcher
Dr. Daiva Baltriukien臈
Research Group
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Virgin某a Bukelskien臈
PhD students
PhD student Milda Alksn臈
PhD student Evaldas Bal膷i奴nas
PhD student Egid某 us 艩imoli奴nas
Technician
Dalia Kulbien臈
Research outcomes
In order to create and develop technologies for biomedical application our group collaborates with Laser Research Center (Faculty of Physics, VU), Institute of Odontology (Faculty of Medicine, VU), Faculty of Chemistry (VU), Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, 91桃色 Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos, State research institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Prodentum Ltd, Valentis Ltd, Femtika Ltd
Most important publications
- Assessment of human gingival fibroblast interaction with dental implant abutment materials. Rutkunas, V., Bukelskiene, V., Sabaliauskas, V., Balciunas, E., Malinauskas, M., Baltriukiene D., Journal of Materials Science in Medicine. 2015, 26(4):169. doi: 10.1007/s10856-015-5481-8.
- The effect of laser-treated titanium surface on human gingival fibroblast behaviour. Baltriukien臈 D, Sabaliauskas V, Bal膷i奴nas E, Melninkaiti s A, Liutkevi膷ius E, Bukelskien臈 V, Rutk奴nas V. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A. 2014, 102(3):713-20. doi: 10.1002/jbm.a.34739.
- 3D Microporous Scaffolds Manufactured via Combination of Fused Filament Fabrication and Direct Laser Writing Ablation. Malinauskas, M., S. Rek拧tyt臈, L. Luko拧evi膷ius, S. Butkus, E, Bal膷i奴nas, M. Pe膷iukaity臈, D. Baltriukien臈, V. Bukelskien臈, A. Butkevi膷ius, P. Kucevi膷ius, V. Rutk奴nas, S. Juodkazis. Micromachines. 2014, 5(4), 839-858.
- Long-term muscle-derived cell culture: multipotency and susceptibility to cell death stimuli. Kalvelyte A, Krestnikova N, Stulpinas A, Bukelskiene V, Bironaite D, Baltriukiene D, Imbrasaite A. Cell Biology International. 2013, 37(4): 292-304.
- In vitro and in vivo biocompatibility study on laser 3D microstructurable polymers. Malinauskas M., Baltriukiene D., Kraniauskas A., Danilevicius P., Jara拧ien臈, R., 艩irmenis R., 沤ukauskas, A., Bal膷i奴nas, E., Purlys V., Gadonas R., Bukelskiene V., Sirvydis V. and Piskarskas A. Applied Physics A 鈥� Materials Science & Processing 2012, 108(3): 751-759.
Contacts
Dr. Daiva Baltriukien臈
91桃色, Life Sciences Center
Phone: +370 5 223 4379
More about VU Life Science Center:
Department for Research
and Innovation
Phone: +370 5 268 7006
More information: /verslui/
Flyer for printing: Cell_and_tissue_engineering_research_group.pdf