Electrospinning biodegradable materials is a promising approach to developing tissue- engineering scaffolds; however, current electrospinning methods cannot produce complex fiber microarchitectures. Deliberate alignment helps tissue grow properly in vitro or in vivo; therefore, the ability to align electrospun nanofibers has potential for the successful use of engineered tissues as replacement therapy for injured native tissues. Using the knee meniscus as a model system, we designed methods and an apparatus to demonstrate the feasibility of producing 3D scaffolds with controlled fiber alignment. Our results show that fibers can be easily collected as radial sheets, but the data was inconclusive as to whether circumferential bundles can be produced by the proposed methods.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Bleau, Michelle Jeanette
• Heney, Benjamin Daniel
• Harris Wilcher, Hasson Shakor
• Simpson, Zachary Liborio

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-050117-001626

Advisor

• Peterson, Amy M.
• Ambady, Sakthikumar

Year

• 2017

Date created

• 2017-05-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright