Development of biomaterial-based 3D printed drug-eluting scaffolds for bone cancer applications

Abstract

Bone cancer remains a predominant site of metastatic progression and poses substantial therapeutic challenges, highlighting the need for customised drug delivery systems (DDSs), such as implantable devices, to address the limitations of conventional therapies and improve clinical outcomes. This study investigates the design and development of novel and multifunctional 3D printed scaffolds aimed at simultaneous pain management, segmental bone defect repair, and adjuvant treatment for bone metastases. Initially, procaine (PRC) loaded biopolymeric scaffolds composed of poly(caprolactone) (PCL) and chitosan (CS) were developed for localised post-operative multimodal analgesia, achieving a sustained release. Subsequently, composite scaffolds consisted of PCL and the bioceramics hydroxyapatite (HA) or b-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) were engineered to systematically assess their physicochemical, mechanical characteristics and cytocompatibility, with the overarching objective of advancing bone-mimetic implant design. In the next step HA microparticles were functionalised with zoledronic acid (ZLD) and incorporated into PCL 3D printed scaffolds, establishing a localised, sustained release platform as potential adjuvant treatment for cytotoxic agents and osteoclast resorption inhibition. Finally, multi-material 3DP was employed for the fabrication of PCL-based multi-layer scaffolds, as multifunctional drug-loaded platforms, with adjusted geometrical features aiming to enhance vascularisation and tissue regeneration. Overall, this thesis demonstrated that comprehensive optimisation of biomaterial formulations and processing parameters enabled the fabrication of reproducible, mechanically robust scaffolds with sustained drug release, advancing customised biomaterial-based DDSs as promising strategies for customised and multimodal bone cancer treatment.

Thesis is embargoed until 31 December 2030.

Date of Award	Dec 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Queen's University Belfast
Sponsors	Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council & Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Supervisor	Dimitrios Lamprou (Supervisor) & Gavin Andrews (Supervisor)