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Infinitus Establishes Three Additional Scientific Research Platforms to Facilitate Its Product Innovation.

BGI Partners with NRGene to Provide Broadest Genomic Analysis Available.

CHINA AID - A Platform for Chinese Senior Care Industry.

Modern Biotechnological Tools Contribute to Biodiversity Conservation.

Older Adults Use Brain Regions Involved in Speaking to Compensate for Bad Hearing.

Chinese Scientists Discover Molecules to Repair Organs.

CAS Sits Atop of Nature Index 2016 Rising Star List.

Chinese Researchers to Develop 3D Skin Printing Technology.

Varian Chosen to Equip First Government Owned Proton Centre in China.

HONG KONG NEWS – Amgen Launches Commercial Office in Hong Kong.

In this paper, we have developed self-assembled nanoscale assemblies that were prepared by conjugating furan-2-carboxylic acid-3-aminopropyl amide with the short peptide sequence Gly-His (abbreviated Gly-His-FCAP). To mimic the extracellular matrix of mammalian fibroblasts and keratinocytes, the assemblies were then conjugated with Type I collagen. We then integrated the collagen bound Gly-His-FCAP assemblies with a short peptide sequence derived from salamander skin into the nanoscale assemblies for the first time to impart regenerative and wound healing properties to the composites. The antioxidant, antimicrobial and biodegradable properties were examined and results indicate that the nanocomposites displayed antioxidant properties as displayed by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The biodegradability was found to be gradual. The nanocomposites were also found to inhibit the growth of the fungus Rhizopus sporangia over an 18h growth period. As proof of concept, to demonstrate the development of three-dimensional (3D) engineered skin in vitro, 3D printed PLA scaffolds of 2.5mm thickness were submerged in media containing nanocomposites and co-cultures of dermal fibroblasts with epidermal keratinocytes mimicking three dimensional skin substitute was examined. Our results indicated that the nanocomposites adhered to and supported cell proliferation and mimicked the components of skin and may have potential applications in skin tissue regeneration.

Developments on tissue engineering, especially on tissue regeneration and drug delivery, demand also developments on biomaterials. Research on the preparation methods of biomaterials has exhibited remarkable advances in the recent years. Natural biomaterials, such as chitosan and collagen, or synthetic materials like poly(lactic acid) can be shaped in various forms. The parameters involved in the fabrication processes provide methodologies for control of the materials' properties, such as morphology, biodegradability, mechanical strength, and adhesion. As new applications develop for these materials, the preparation methods have to be optimized to achieve the desired material properties. These properties mostly not only mimic the conditions in the human body, but also may divert the microenvironment of cells in the diseased area in order to promote faster or guided healing and tissue regeneration. This review pays attention on some of the fabrication methods for biomaterial particulates of sizes in the micro- and nanoscale. The views expressed here focus on the many years of experience of the authors with electrostatic and ultrasonic fabrication methods. These methods are still under development and up to now can produce particulates of various sizes down to the nanometer scale with narrow size distributions. Such biomaterials that have extraordinary properties may provide ways for the development of remarkable biomedical applications.