Project manager:
Dr. Nat. Sci.[rer. nat.] Martin Möller
Dr. Nat. Sci.[rer. nat.] Joachim Rychly

Synthetic matrices are used in combination with a controlled mechanical stimulus in order to control the biological reaction and development of mesenchymal stem cells. We assume here that this, in comparison to the reduced complexity of the cellular environment in-vivo, i.e. the synthetically defined chemical and physical properties and mechanical stimuli, can control the biological response of the cells in a reproducible manner. The development of hydrogels and hydrogel-coated surfaces conducted in the first funding period in which the cell adhesion and also the adsorption of proteins are largely prevented and which are practically "invisible" to the cells but which, at the same time allow a guided, covalent attachment of biological ligands, make possible the study of cells if these only adhere using RGD peptides and fibronectins as functional adhesion components.

Project manager:
Dr. Nat. Sci.[rer. nat.] Doris Klee
Dr. Nat. Sci.[rer. nat.] Nan Ma

Current developments in reconstructive medicine have placed high demands on modern scaffolds for tissue engineering which greatly surpass passive biocompatibility. In addition to biodegradability, a specific surface functionality and a three-dimensional structure which is as similar as possible to the tissue to be replaced and makes vascularisation possible, are prerequisites for the reconstruction of functional tissue. In the first reporting period, results were achieved which are to be classified as single building blocks for the development of a three-dimensional biofunctional fibre construct with the required properties for the fat tissue cultivation:

Project manager:
Prof. Dr. med. Gustav Steinhoff

At the beginning of the first funding period, a concept for the manipulation of non-viral vectors was developed and the requirements with regard to the microsystem were defined. The concept is based on the fundamental processes which are used for the production of microsystems by the Institute for Microproduction Technolgoy (IMPT). This microsystem is made up of micro coils which create a magnetic field in a row of soft magnetic poles. Parallel to the design, the research laboratory of the clinic and polyclinic for cardiac surgery at the university (KHC) developed and characterised various non-viral vectors based on polyethylenimine (PEI) and magnetic nanoparticle for the different applications.

Project manager:
Prof. Dr. med. dent. Meike Stiesch
Dr. rer. nat. Csaba Laszlo Sajti
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Martin Möller

Medical implants consist of artificial materials on which bacteria adheres and can be organised in complex and antibiotic-resistant biofilm communities. The resulting subsequent inflammatory reactions and the associated progressive destructive process, leads to loss of function of the implant and significant impairments to the patients to, in part, life-threatening complications. The loss of implants from bacterial infections is for many medical disciplines such as Dentistry, Otorhinolaryngology or surgery of great clinical relevance. In research, the dental implant has emerged as an optimal model system for the research of implant-associated infections due to its good accessibility and wide use. Alone in Germany, 1 million dental implants are inserted annually of which approximately 30 % develop a bacterially caused infection (periimplantitis). The focus of several research activities for the development of antibacterial implant materials lies today in the static functionalisation of surfaces e.g., through the connection and release of antibacterial substances to reduce bacterial biofilm formation. There is still a problem, however, of maintaining this antibacterial effect long-term and obtaining a selective effect on bacterial cells which is not directed against the body's own cells.