Fanny Gimie

Title: Comparison of different nanofiber scaffolds effects on bone regeneration of calvaria defect in a Wistar rat model - Importance of porosity

Abstract:

Skeletal tissue injury is a major burden on the global healthcare system due to an aging population. In addition, metabolic disorders such as diabetes and osteoporosis further impede the healing process. Tissue engineering scaffold for reconstructive strategies offer exciting opportunities to overcome poor self-healing capacity of the skeletal tissue. We studied bone regeneration potential of cellulose-based nanostructured-biomaterials on a pre-clinical model of surgically induced cranial bone defect in Wistar rats. The results obtained for cellulose-based nanofiber, cryosponge and hybrid scaffolds will be presented. These were compared with a commercial scaffold used as a positive control. Healing was monitored over different periods up to 12 weeks using clinical monitoring of animals, CT and PET imaging with the 18FNa radiotracer histology, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. The results showed that a strong metabolic stimulation induced by the scaffolds, allowing complete healing of the bone defect. Due to their structural constitution, the scaffolds presented different healing profiles. The results showed that porosity seemed to be an important parameter in the scar stimulation capacity of scaffolds. This work is on-going on a more complex in vivo model of pathological bone regeneration, such as long bone skeleton defect on animal with metabolic disorders.

Audience Take Away Notes :

• The audience will be able to see an example of biological studies (in vitro and in vivo) to assess the healing potential of a cellulose-based nano-biomaterial
• The audience will be able to see the usefulness of monitoring healing with high-performance tools such as CT imaging or PET imaging and the conclusions we can draw from it
• The audience will be able to see an example of a study highlighting the importance of the physical structure, and in particular the porosity, on the phenomena of bone healing

Biography:

Dr Fanny Gimié completed her veterinary studies at the National Veterinary School of Toulouse in France from 2005 to 2009. At the end of her studies, she obtained a master's degree in Biohealth at the Paul Sabatier University thanks to a grant from Sanofi Aventis for a year. In addition to her activity as a practicing veterinarian, she was hired in 2013 at the CYROI biomedical research center on Reunion Island, where she took over the management of the animal facility which has a microsurgery and preclinical imaging devices. On the other hand, she chairs the only ethics committee in Reunion on the use of animals for scientific purposes.