# 3D Printing bone graft containing controlled-release growth factors and cytokines

> **NIH VA I21** · RLR VA MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · —

## Abstract

Objectives
As a promising alternative to the traditional surgical repair of large maxillary and mandibular defects with
allograft and autologous bone, we propose non-vital, 3D printed bone grafts that rely on the endogenous cells
of the recipient patient. Commonly used for osseous defects, allograft has a limited capacity for in vivo
colonization with bone cells, especially for large osseous defects. This study proposes to develop and test in
vitro osteoinductive porous grafts, pre-designed to fit the patients-specific defects, and custom manufactured
specifically to the patient to be grafted, by 3D bioprinting with specific controlled-release of selected growth
factors and cytokines.
Methods
To this goal, Richard L. Roudebush VAMC offers expertise in clinical 3D imaging and computer-assisted
design, combined with the state-of-the-art technology available in newly created 3DTissue Bioprinting Core
laboratory, equipped with a regenHU 3DDiscovery ‘Evolution’ bioprinter.
The first Specific Aim will be the generation of such constructs by creating models of patient-specific maxillary
and mandibular bone defects and then of their precisely fitting grafts, using the software on our bioprinter.
These models will be plotted using as structural component a calcium triphosphate/hydroxyapatite scaffold,
and as bioactive component a hydrogel containing growth factors-releasing microbeads.
The second Specific Aim will be the in vitro testing of this construct’s bioactivity, by assessing the kinetics of
growth factors release and by determining its ability to induce cell recruitment and differentiation.
If successful, this project will stand by itself by generation of an improved technology for rapid, personalized
and biocompatible tissue engineering of bone implants, with applicability to maxillofacial, cleft palate and
many other instances of skeletal repair throughout the body – all are common with reconstruction of combat
injuries and defects from cancer treatments.
Follow-Up Study (not this study)
This project contains several innovative approaches: a dual paste-hydrogel printing, addition of growth factors
in microbeads within the hydrogel, testing intra-construct cell mobility and differentiation -- all will need to be
first optimized before beginning the next study that will explore an elaborate systematic method of finding the
best combination of growth factors, cytokines, and scaffolding for bone grafts. This will rapidly and much more
efficiently lead to large animal models for an eventual rapid and easier translation to clinical use

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10125217
- **Project number:** 1I21RX003469-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** RLR VA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Clark T. Barco
- **Activity code:** I21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-12-01 → 2022-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10125217

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10125217, 3D Printing bone graft containing controlled-release growth factors and cytokines (1I21RX003469-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10125217. Licensed CC0.

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