# An Artificial Eggshell Membrane for Guided Tissue Regeneration

> **NIH NIH R03** · UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MED CTR · 2021 · $155,000

## Abstract

Project Summary
Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory process in the periodontal tissue. It occurs in
approximately 48% of the U.S. adult population and is the leading cause of tooth loss among
adults. Guided tissue generation (GTR) is a widely-used, well-documented and clinically
predictable technique to treat periodontal disease and dental/craniofacial defects by placing a
polymeric membrane between epithelial tissue and periodontal ligament/bone tissue. This
membrane serves as a barrier to protect the slower-growing periodontal ligament and bone
tissues from the invasion of faster-growing epithelial tissue, but it should also allow exchange of
fluids and signals between different tissues. A number of barrier membranes have been
developed over the past decades, but current products are very costly and have limitations. Avian
eggshell membrane is a semi-permeable fibrous membrane between egg-white and eggshell. It
is available in abundant quantities as a waste product from the poultry and food industry. Natural
eggshell membrane is composed of a highly-crosslinked interwoven protein fiber network with a
unique double-layered structure. It not only allows excellent water/oxygen exchange and satisfies
the need of embryo development, but also serves as a natural barrier membrane against the
invasion of microorganisms and other challenges from the external environment.
Inspired by the similarity of eggshell membrane and GTR membrane as a barrier membrane, we
propose this project to explore the feasibility of developing an innovative and biomimetic artificial
eggshell membrane for GTR application using a reactive electrospinning technique and response
surface methodology (RSM), which can simulate the unique composition and microstructure of
natural eggshell membrane. Our new membrane is a multiple-component system which contains
soluble eggshell membrane protein (SEP), mechanically stable poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid)
(PLGA) and osseoinductive nano-hydroxyapatite particles (nanoHAp). It also possesses a bio-
inspired double-layered structure, which includes an outer barrier PLGA layer (adjacent to the
gingival tissue) and an inner bioactive SEP/PLGA/nano-HAp layer (adjacent to the
periodontal/bone tissue). The long-term goal of our proposed project is to improve the clinical
outcome of the GTR technique by using this biomimetic membrane, as well as lay a foundation
for converting eggshell membrane derived materials from an abundant industrial by-product to a
new, green and promising biomaterial for dentistry and medicine.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10136573
- **Project number:** 5R03DE028400-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MED CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Yuanyuan Lucy Duan
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $155,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-05-01 → 2022-10-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10136573

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10136573, An Artificial Eggshell Membrane for Guided Tissue Regeneration (5R03DE028400-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10136573. Licensed CC0.

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