# Biodegradable Piezoelectric Scaffold for Bone regeneration

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT STORRS · 2020 · $212,224

## Abstract

Biodegradable Piezoelectric Scaffold for Bone Regeneration
Reconstruction of large bone fractures and defects remains a big challenge in orthopaedic surgery.
Replacement auto- or allo-grafts usually suffer from the problems of limited supply, donor site morbidity,
infection or/and immune-rejection. Regenerative engineering strategies, employing a combination of
biomaterial scaffolds, stem/osteogenic cells and growth factors/small molecules, has therefore emerged as an
important area.
Although bone growth factors and small molecules are powerful, many of their toxic side-effects demand for a
new approach to stimulate bone growth. Electrical stimulation (ES) is an excellent alternative and many
electrical stimulators have been used to treat bone fractures. However, the electrical devices still struggle with
limitations; while external stimulators are not very effective, implanted devices rely on toxic and non-
degradable batteries, requiring invasive removal surgery.
Piezoelectric materials, a group of “smart” materials which can generate electricity under applied force, might
offer compelling battery-less stimulators to electrically stimulate bone growth. Bone is also piezoelectric in
nature. Under deformation, bone generates surface charge, which drives the tissue to grow against the applied
force. A piezoelectric scaffold can therefore mimic natural bone in receiving mechanical loading to induce bone
growth and regeneration. Here we propose for the first time a novel biodegradable and biocompatible
scaffold of piezoelectric nanofibers of PLLA (Poly-L-lactide), which will be seeded with stem cells and
subjected to acoustic pressure from ultrasound, to generate useful electrical charge for enhanced
bone regeneration. We will assemble multiple layers of electrospun piezoelectric PLLA nanofiber films and
employ adipose stem cells (ASCs) to construct the 3D piezoelectric scaffold. Accordingly, the project has two
main specific aims; Aim 1 is to assess osteogenesis from ASCs seeded on the 3D biodegradable piezoelectric
PLLA nanofiber scaffold under stimulation of acoustic pressure in vitro. And Aim 2 is to demonstrate the use of
our constructed scaffold to heal critical-sized calvarial/skull defects in mice under stimulation of acoustic
pressure.
Milestone: The milestone of this project after 1 year is to find out suitable acoustic stimulation and
demonstrate an enhanced osteogenesis from the stem-cells, seeded on our piezoelectric PLLA scaffold, in
vitro. After 2 years, the milestone of this project is to demonstrate a significant bone ingrowth on implanted
piezoelectric PLLA scaffolds to heal the calvarial defects in mice. As electrical stimulation is applicable to
versatile tissues (e.g. nerve, muscle, skin, cartilage etc.), we anticipate the proposed scaffold will become a
platform to construct different engineered tissues with an enhanced regenerative capability.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9913470
- **Project number:** 5R21AR075196-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT STORRS
- **Principal Investigator:** Thanh Nguyen
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $212,224
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-05-01 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9913470

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9913470, Biodegradable Piezoelectric Scaffold for Bone regeneration (5R21AR075196-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9913470. Licensed CC0.

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