Section of Metabolic Tissue Engineering

«Based on applied matrix biology and biophysics (macromolecular crowding, supramolecular aggregates) we develop metabolically active human models like fatty tissue and skeleton muscle.»
The focus of our research is the construction of three-dimensional tissue cultures using human primary cells. We have been applying the methods of tissue engineering for over 10 years to various tissue types such as bone, cartilage and intervertebral discs, connective tissue and skin, the liver and the pancreas. These in vitro tissues and the use of various technologies provide the basis for many diverse objectives and applications.
Areas of expertise

Our developments are used in areas such as
- Cell culture technology: automated processes, consideration of biomechanical aspects and bioprinting
- Biomaterials and implants: development, characterisation, surface modification and in vitro studies
- Medicine: regenerative, cell-based therapies and clinical trials
- Drug development: Cultivation and use of organotypic models for substance evaluation
Our research laboratories provide a modern infrastructure and methodological expertise.
We offer our project partners a wide range of opportunities for cooperation. Customer-specific concerns are the principal focus of Bachelor's and Master's theses, directly funded collaborations, and CTI projects.
Competence centre "Tissue Engineering for Drug Development, TEDD"
The centre was founded in 2010 by the members of the section “Tissue Engineering” and has succeeded in combining knowledge, technologies and partners from research and industry.
News
Publications of the section
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Stebler, Simon; Raghunath, Michael,
2021.
The scar-in-a-jar : in vitro fibrosis model for anti-fibrotic drug testing
.
In:
Hinz, Boris; Lagares, David, eds.,
Myofibroblasts.
New York:
Humana.
pp. 147-156.
Methods in Molecular Biology ; 2299.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1382-5_11
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Raghunath, Michael; Zeugolis, Dimitrios I.,
2021.
Transforming eukaryotic cell culture with macromolecular crowding.
Trends in Biochemical Sciences.
46(10), pp. 805-811.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibs.2021.04.006
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Assunção, Marisa; Wong, Christy Wingtung; Richardson, Joseph J.; Tsang, Rachel; Beyer, Sebastian; Raghunath, Michael; Blocki, Anna,
2020.
Materials Science and Engineering C: Materials for Biological Applications.
106(110280).
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2019.110280
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Tsiapalis, Dimitrios; De Pieri, Andrea; Spanoudes, Kyriakos; Sallent, Ignacio; Kearns, Stephen; Kelly, Jack L.; Raghunath, Michael; Zeugolis, Dimitrios I.,
2020.
Biofabrication.
12(2), pp. 25018.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/ab6412
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Kopanska, Katarzyna S.; Rimann, Markus; Laternser, Sandra; Raghunath, Michael,
2019.
Advanced in vitro models analysis.
ALTEX - Alternatives to Animal Experimentation.
36(1), pp. 144-147.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.14573/altex.1812131