Development of the GreenNanoBone microgel & pre-clinical testing

Patients affected by medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) are at the heart of the GreenNanoBone project. This interactive section explains in easy terms each step of our research and development of the GreenNanoBone hydrogel and scaffold. For better understanding the text is accompanied by visuals.

The first step is to extract pectin from potato waste, byproducts of the starch industry. Rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I), a structural component of pectin, will work as a chemical precursor for our microgel.
The next step is to process RG-I into microgels, which are injectable microgels made up of microparticles and analyse its properties, such as particle size and distribution.
AI will help identify the best conditions to achieve the desired microgel properties. Results from the pre-clinical testing done later in the project will further inform this step.
Eventually, for the fabrication of printed scaffolds, a bioink – this is the material used in a bioprinter - has to be formulated.
Now we have both the injectable microgel and the printed scaffolds. These need to be tested in preclinical settings – both for their safety and their efficacy.
First, the biosafety of the materials has to be tested, this means, we need to find out whether they might have negative effects on healthy cells.
The osteogenic and pro-regenerative efficacy of the GreenNanoBone microgel will also be tested in vitro – meaning in a laboratory setting, outside a living organism.
To this end, we will capture the mechanism of action of the microgel in each relevant tissue model: bones, gum tissue and immune cells and analyse if it works as it is supposed to.
Additionally, in a microbiological study we will test the antibacterial properties of GreenNanoBone.
Ultimately, the response of soft and hard tissue to the 4D injected and printed microgels will be evaluated in in vivo animal models.
The results from this study will form the basis for future clinical trials.