RESEARCH TOPICS

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

1. Fabrication of a bilayer hydrogel with Schiff-base linkage, based on N,O-Carboxymethyl Chitosan, to support the effects of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of articular cartilage defects.

Investigator: PhD candidate Vu Thanh Binh

Contact information: benvu89@gmail.com

🎯 Specific Objectives:

- Fabricate a bilayer hydrogel (cartilage and bone layers) with Schiff base linkages, based on N,O-Carboxymethyl Chitosan.

- Demonstrate the chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells in a 3D in vitro model.

- Validate the chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells in a 3D in vivo model.

🌱 Benefits of Participating in the Project:

- Training and hands-on experience in tissue engineering techniques, including stem cell culture, biomaterial fabrication, stem cell differentiation, and tissue implantation in animal models.

- Use of experimental results for academic reports, pre-thesis, and thesis work.

- Authorship opportunities if the research is published.

- Recommendation letter confirming your lab experience, strengthening your CV for post-graduate study abroad programs.

📎 For more details, please visit the following link

2. Synthesis and evaluation of the application potential of Polycaprolactone/nanosilver membranes coated with chitosan oligomers for burn wound treatment.

Investigator: MSc. Nguyễn Văn Khiêm

Contact information: vankhiem1510@gmail.com

🎯 Objective: To synthesize a membrane-based material containing nanosilver particles and coated with chitosan oligomers, designed to provide antibacterial protection and promote wound healing in burn injuries.

📎 For more information about the project, please visit the following link.

3. Dual-Honeycomb Polycaprolactone Scaffold Printed Using 3D Filament Printing

Investigator: PhD candidate Thái Huy Thành, DDS

Contact information: thanhthai.thd@gmail.com

3D Honeycomb Polylactic Acid (PLA) Scaffold

Craniofacial bone defects caused by congenital cleft lip and palate present significant challenges for children in terms of aesthetics, functionality, and social integration. Bone graft surgery is essential to restore appearance, improve oral function, and support community inclusion.

3D printing has emerged as a modern solution thanks to its:

- Speed and convenience- Precision and control

- Customization for individual patients.

Filament-based 3D printers are widely used due to their affordability, accessibility, and ease of operation. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a popular biomaterial thanks to its biocompatibility and biodegradability.

🎯 Research Objectives:

Fabricate honeycomb - structured polycaprolactone (PCLhc) filaments for use in 3D filament printing.
Evaluate the bone regeneration potential of dual-honeycomb PCL scaffolds printed using these filaments.

📎 For more information about the project, please visit the following link.

4. Study on the Fabrication of Biphasic Calcium Phosphate (BCP) Biomaterial for Enamel Regeneration and Treatment of Tooth Sensitivity

Investigator: PhD candidate Đặng Ngọc Thảo Nhi

Contact information: dntnhi@hcmiu.edu.vn

Biphasic Calcium Phosphate (BCP) is a bioceramic material composed of two phases—hydroxyapatite (HA) and beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP)—which co-form during the synthesis process. BCP has been widely applied in bone and dental regeneration and implantation due to its excellent biocompatibility and bioactivity.

🎯 Research Objective:

This study aims to synthesize BCP, investigate and evaluate its effectiveness in treating tooth sensitivity, and explore its potential for developing dental products incorporating this material.

Tooth sensitivity (TS) is one of the most common dental issues affecting people of all ages. Patients often experience sharp, short-lasting pain when consuming acidic, hot, or cold foods and beverages.

The most frequent causes include gum recession, enamel erosion, or tooth decay, which expose the dentin—a softer layer beneath the enamel. Dentin is directly connected to the dental pulp nerves through thousands of microscopic dentinal tubules (Figure 1).

When dentin becomes exposed, external stimuli can easily reach the pulp nerves indirectly, triggering sharp pain.

📎 For more information (detailed methodology, application requirements, benefits of participating in the research, etc.), please visit the following link.

For more information about the project, please visit the link or feel free to contact and discuss directly with the Principal Investigator.

PREVIOUS RESEARCH PROJECTS

Periodontal diseases are commonly seen in the majority of adults due to unhealthy eating habits and poor personal oral hygiene. In severe cases, infection can cause gum recession and reduce supporting bone volume, which eventually leads to tooth loss.

Two methods, which have been applied to treat periodontal diseases, both share the same principle: regeneration of alveolar bone. Barrier membrane is inserted at the soft-hard tissues interface in order to save space and time for bone cells to proliferate against fast-growing fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Alternatively, bone grafts (autograft, allograft, or xenograft) can be filled in the bone-lost area to accelerate the regeneration process.

This research aims to fabricate a scaffold combining the use of both barrier membrane and bone grafting for alveolar bone regeneration. Electrospun polycaprolactone membrane is targeted to possess a suitable pore size to prevent infiltration of soft tissue cells and sufficient mechanical strength to maintain space during the regeneration process. Bovine bone granules are stabilized in type I collagen hydrogel from fish skin to support proliferation of bone cells and hence reduce the regeneration time.

2. Silk-based scaffold for wound dressing

Wound healing is always a major health risk with many factors need to be concerned. The important factor deciding the healing process is inflammation. Chronic inflammation or late-phase inflammation can cause scarring or fibrosis. Hence, controlling the inflammation with an appropriate antibiotics and drugs release, and promoting healing process are the key factors in controlling the wound healing.

Scaffolds are widely used in regeneration of large volume tissues. They have been developed to restore structure and function of damaged tissues, and also become a niche for cells to attach, proliferate, and migrate. However, one of the challenges using scaffolds for tissue engineering is post-surgery infections.

This research aims to fabricate a scaffold from natural polymer – silk as a base material for skin regeneration and further for soft tissue regeneration. The scaffold is targeted to control the wound healing with an appropriate antibiotics and drugs release as a gauze; or combine with others polymers and cells, and/or signaling molecules as an artificial tissue.

3. Small-diameter artificial blood vessel

In recent decades, cardiovascular disease has been the leading cause of death globally. Cardiac disorders are often related to the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels, resulted in reduced blood flow and inadequate supplies of nutrient and oxygen to tissues. In severe cases, a vascular graft is needed to replace or bypass a damaged or occluded vessel.

Due to the limited source of autologous blood vessels or allograft rejection, research and development of artificial blood vessel is getting more attention. While large- and medium-diameter vascular grafts have demonstrated satisfactory long-term results, thrombus formation and insufficient mechanical properties are still remained as challenges for small-diameter (d< 6 mm) vessels.

The aim of this research is to fabricate an electrospun polycaprolactone-polyurethane (PCL/PU) grafting conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) tubular scaffold. PCL-PU vessels have shown high biocompatibility and suitable mechanical properties even with diameter less than 6mm; while CLA is an effective antithrombotic agent. Thus, the system is expected to provide a suitable artificial blood vessel that can overcome the mentioned obstacles.

4. Synthesis and application of oligomer chitosan in wound regeneration

Infection causes adverse effects on the human body. In particular, prolonged time for wound healing is affected by bacterial infections. So, various types of drugs have been developed for this issue, and natural polymers have received more attention due to their high biocompatibility and antimicrobial properties.

In the last decade, chitosan has attracted the attention of numerous researchers because of its bioavailability, biocompatibility, low toxicity, and anti-microbial properties. Chitosan was reported to contribute to hemostasis and antibacterial activity, which are fundamental processes for wound dressing. However, its poor water solubility comes as a disadvantage to limit its applications. Instead, chitosan is mainly dissolved in organic acid, which may cause some problems with acidic residues. Therefore, the idea of a modification of chitosan that can have reliable water solubility appears.

The objective of the research is to synthesize chitosan oligosaccharide powders originally from chitosan extracted from shrimp shells for several further applications. Powders provide not only direct applications on skin using commercial bandages for at-home patients, but also can be used as a composition in other systems for external and internal regenerative procedures.

5. Nano silver-loaded membrane for wound dressing

The research aims to fabricate a multi-layer membrane that can be applied as first-aid treatment for open skin wounds. This membrane is made from non-woven fabric with high pore density, allowing gas exchange between wounded tissue and the environment, but still able to maintain moisture. By coating the fabric with multi-layer natural polymer loaded silver nanoparticles, it helps to assist the wound healing process, extend dressing time, and prevent the penetration of bacteria into the wound. Moreover, the membrane is expected to be highly elastic and flexible when applied to the wound and non-adhesive when removed.

6.Hydrogel for wound dressing

Skin is the largest organ with a remarkable characteristic of being able to heal when encountering common trauma or exterior damages. However, for severe wounds, the skin cannot perform its natural healing process sufficiently, leading to several conditions detrimental to the body.

In recent years, there have been many studies focusing on the fabrication of novel biomaterials which can effectively assist the cutaneous wound healing process. Among them, hydrogels have been utilized as scaffolds for various tissue engineering applications, owing to their appropriate physical and biological properties to promote tissue formation.

This research aims to synthesize an in situ cross-linking chitosan-hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel for skin wound healing applications. The gel system provides a better first-aid procedure as a needless suturing kit for wound repair that can be used directly by patients at home or by those living in rural areas where medical facilities are insufficient.

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