# TR&D-2: Sensor Enabled Scaffolds

> **NIH NIH P41** · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $169,382

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract:
During the process of fabricating an engineered tissue construct, it is critical to be able to assess the initial cell
seeding and subsequent cell functions in real time. This TR&D will focus on the development of biosensor tech-
nology that will leverage the widespread use of scaffolds in tissue engineering to produce sensor-enabled scaf-
folds in different materials and configurations to serve our CPs/SPs. Our key innovation is to incorporate sensing
functions into the scaffolds that can be used to monitor multiple specific biological properties dynamically and
longitudinally, thus enabling the potential to control and modify cell seeding, nutrient exchange, metabolic waste
removal and differentiation cues in real-time. We will accomplish this in two Specific Aims:
Specific Aim 1: Generation of sensing scaffolds to monitor and automate cellular seeding. During the automated
fabrication process of a TE construct, it is critical to be able to assess cell attachment in real-time in order to
validate the seeding process or take remedial action if called for. Because different scaffold biomaterials and
syntheses provide different microenvironmental cues for cells, assessing the attachment and distribution of cells
within the scaffold during TEMP assembly can help optimize the process. We will design beacon-type aptamers
that bind and react to cell whole cells or alternately to cell surface molecules and are therefore usable as short-
term sensors in this application. The aptamers will have a molecular beacon-type of reporter chemistry that will
be activated by conformational changes upon binding their target cell and will provide a fluorescent feedback
signal proportional to the number of cells seeded to the scaffold. Our aptamer sensor that can be attached to or
integrated into scaffolds/biomaterials/bioinks. Variations of the technology will include optic light guide aug-
mented scaffolds to assess the interior of thick structures.
Specific Aim 2: Sensor platforms to measure O2, glucose and lactate. O2, glucose and lactate are 3 key markers
of metabolic activity. Monitoring of these is essential during differentiation and/or maturation of tissues to deter-
mine both their functionality and biochemical quality, and to, again, provide signals for remedial action if needed.
We will develop O2, glucose, and lactate optodes using novel chemistries, and integrate them with scaffolds in a
variety of application-specific ways to measure levels of O2, glucose, and lactate in the tissue interior, at the
tissue surface and eventually in the bulk medium. We will also develop a system to measure oxygen uptake rate
at the surface of the engineered construct. The sensors will use biocompatible materials and will be integrated
into the scaffolds or reversibly attached to them using novel micro-anchors. The sensors will be tested for stability
during scaffold storage, and for biocompatibility and stability during tissue differentiation an...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10554851
- **Project number:** 2P41EB021911-06A1
- **Recipient organization:** CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** JEAN F WELTER
- **Activity code:** P41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $169,382
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2016-06-01 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10554851

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10554851, TR&D-2: Sensor Enabled Scaffolds (2P41EB021911-06A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10554851. Licensed CC0.

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