NANOTRAP - Research project

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by cells are nanospheres that control tissue responses to various stimuli (inflammation, hypoxia). Due to their ability to transport/deliver bioactive molecules, scientific interest in the study of EVs has increased in tissue engineering and implantology. The functionalization of metallic materials with EVs is a novel approach to improve tissue regeneration procedures but trapping and preserving them on surfaces is difficult. Nanostructures made with a femtosecond laser with size scales similar to EVs (30 to 500nm) could trap / preserve / select by size this type of nano-object and thus have a significant effect on the biological functionality of the surface. The surface functionalization by EVs treated with ultrafast lasers would be simple, reproducible and industry upscale compatible.

This study aimed to (i) produce EVs from 3 biological sources (platelets, stem cells and bacteria) (ii) explore the interactions between EVs and the different nanostructures on a titanium surface (iii) understand the bio functional effects resulting from the trapping of EVs by the nanostructures .This project will assess to what extent the nanostructuring of titanium surfaces by femtosecond laser optimizes interactions with nano-objects as well as their functional properties such as anti-inflammatory, angiogenic, osteogenic or anti-bacterial.