# 3D printing functional graphenic materials (FGMs) as intrinsically inductive scaffolds for bone regeneration

> **NIH NIH R21** · CARNEGIE-MELLON UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $191,728

## Abstract

Abstract
Severe bone injury can occur due to traumatic events such as automobile accidents or battlefield injuries, and
every year millions of patients in the United States undergo procedures, often invasive and painful, every year
to correct these deformities. Currently, autologous tissue transplantation or implantation of prosthetic devices is
used as a therapeutic treatment for large defect areas. These procedures are limited by a lack of donor tissue,
donor site morbidity, potential for graft rejection, susceptibility to infection, and feasibility of transplantation. Non-
resorbable materials, such as titanium, remain as a permanent implant material and lack the ability to remodeled
for integration with native tissue. We propose a new class of 3D printed graphenic scaffold to mimic the
complexity of bone and induce the native regenerative response.
Functional graphenic materials (FGMs) are a novel class of potential scaffold material that offer tunable
mechanical properties, degradability, and surface chemistry, which together can be used to control bioactivity.
The Sydlik group has developed several novel FGMs that inherently induce osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo.
Specifically, we have shown that calcium phosphate graphene (CaPG) releases bioinstructive counter ions, Ca2+
and PO43- , to spontaneously induces osteogenesis in vivo in a mouse model (PNAS, 2019). However, the
application of FGMs as biomaterials is restricted due to insufficient control of the chemical interface and limited
processing methods. Thus, to make this technology translatable, we need a fabrication technique that can create
volumetric constructs to fill large bone defects. 3D printing is uniquely positioned to address this challenge
because scaffolds can be custom printed to match the patients defect site. This proposal seeks to advance
bioactive osteogenic CaPG into instructive scaffolds that achieve significantly improved cranial bone
regeneration.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10259656
- **Project number:** 5R21DE029316-02
- **Recipient organization:** CARNEGIE-MELLON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Stefanie Arlene Sydlik
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $191,728
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-09 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10259656

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10259656, 3D printing functional graphenic materials (FGMs) as intrinsically inductive scaffolds for bone regeneration (5R21DE029316-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10259656. Licensed CC0.

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