3D printing of hyaluronic acid aerogels as on-demand removable wound dressings – 3D-AER-HYAL

The 3D-AER-HYAL project targets a new class of wound dressings based on aerogels, which are dry, highly porous and ultra-light polymer networks. The unique properties of aerogels potentially allow them to absorb a large amount of wound exudate, to facilitate O2 and CO2 exchange, to cover the wound and to act as a depot for the sustained release of therapeutic agents. Aerogels will be prepared from the natural and renewable polysaccharide hyaluronic acid (HA), which is known for its excellent biocompatibility and bioactivity in terms of dermal regeneration. The aerogel precursors will be printed in 3D to fabricate dressings that are adapted to the shape of the wound. HA will be crosslinked with an on-demand cleavable molecule, allowing for proper, painless removal of the dressings. The HA aerogels will be loaded with active agents that prevent wound infection and improve wound healing.
It is expected that the unprecedented combination of HA aerogels, 3D printing, on-demand removability and controlled drug release yields wound dressings with significant advantages over currently available dressings in terms of clinical efficacy and patient comfort. The multidisciplinary approach of the 3D-AER-HYAL project is facilitated by the complementary expertise of the scientific coordinator, the host institute (CEMEF, Center for Materials Forming in Sophia Antipolis) and the collaborating laboratory (PHBM, Department of Polymers for Health and Biomaterials in Montpellier) regarding biomedical applications, materials science, polysaccharides, aerogel preparation methods and characterization techniques. The project is divided into 3 work packages (WPs) related to experimental work and 1 WP dedicated to management, reporting and strategies to maximize the exploitation and impact of the results by using a variety of both traditional and modern dissemination tools. In summary, the 3D-AER-HYAL project contains a number of clear objectives to address unmet clinical needs regarding wound healing, but it also offers various scientific challenges and possibilities for fundamental, ground-breaking research.
Importantly, the 3D-AER-HYAL project fully meets the objectives of the ANR JCJC grant scheme as the project enables Dr. Buwalda to acquire scientific autonomy, to further develop his own research theme focusing on bio-based aerogels for biomedical applications and to constitute his own team within CEMEF. With its innovative and original approach to tackle scientific and technological obstacles in wound care, the 3D-AER-HYAL project will greatly help Dr. Buwalda in realizing his aim to attain a world-wide leading position in the emerging field of bio-based aerogels for biomedical applications.