Sichuan University Announces Transfer of Porous Scaffold Fabrication Technology for Tissue Regeneration at RMB 300,000

Recently, Sichuan University released a public notice on the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, proposing to transfer“Preparation Method of a Porous Scaffold for Tissue Regeneration”Assignment of Relevant Patents, with the Assignment Fee Being RMB300,000 yuan. The inventor of this patented technology isProfessor Tan Hong and his team。

The core of the present invention isPreparation of Porous Scaffolds and Multilayer Patches for Tissue Regeneration via Semi-Solid Freeze Casting to Address the Challenge of Scalable Production of Uniform Porous Scaffolds in Traditional Techniques.Suitable for the healing of tissue defects in oral mucosa, skin, and other tissues, it promotes scar-free regeneration and is particularly well-suited for scenarios involving large-area and deep defects. The porous scaffold mimics the structure of the natural extracellular matrix, providing temporary 3D support for new tissue growth, while the multilayer patch also protects the wound and provides mechanical support through its top barrier layer.

Tissue Regeneration and RepairIt is a key area in the medical field, encompassing the repair of various tissue defects such as oral mucosa and skin. It is widely used in scenarios including trauma treatment and postoperative recovery, with its repair quality directly impacting patients’ quality of life and restoration of bodily functions.

However, in current clinical repair scenarios, the technical limitations of traditional scaffolds and patches have led to significant pain points: Scaffolds prepared via conventional freeze-casting methods are constrained by physical factors such as heat transfer, making it difficult to achieve large-scale production of large-sized (centimeter-scale or larger) constructs. Moreover, their porous structures are heterogeneous and exhibit pronounced anisotropy, failing to provide a stable three-dimensional supportive environment for new tissue growth. Meanwhile, existing repair materials mostly feature single-structure designs, which are ill-suited to the distinct wound environments of different anatomical sites such as the oral cavity and skin, and cannot meet the requirements for repairing large-area, deep defects.

These pain points pose multiple challenges for both patients and clinical applications: For patients, traditional materials often lead to complications such as scar contracture and impaired tissue function after repair. For instance, reconstruction of oral mucosal defects may result in limited mouth opening, while skin wound repair can leave conspicuous scars that not only compromise aesthetics but also cause functional impairments, thereby reducing quality of life. In clinical practice, the size and shape limitations of traditional scaffolds make it difficult to adapt to defects of varying dimensions and geometries, particularly yielding suboptimal outcomes in the repair of extensive wounds. Furthermore, some reparative materials exhibit insufficient biocompatibility, easily triggering inflammatory responses, or their degradation rates are mismatched with the pace of tissue regeneration, thus compromising repair efficacy. Additionally, key parameters of existing materials, such as porosity and pore size, are difficult to precisely control, failing to meet the regenerative requirements of different tissues.

Currently, mainstream tissue regeneration and repair strategies still rely onTraditional Freeze-Cast Scaffolds, Biologically Derived Matrices (dECM)Conventional scaffolds, while capable of small-scale fabrication, suffer from poor structural uniformity and limited scalability, making them inadequate for meeting the clinical demand for large-scale defect repair. Although biological materials such as decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) exhibit favorable biocompatibility, their clinical application is hindered by post-repair scar contraction, high costs, and limited availability.

Furthermore, most existing repair materials are designed with single-function capabilities and lack the ability to modulate the wound microenvironment. They fail to effectively regulate inflammatory responses or promote cell adhesion and proliferation, resulting in low repair efficiency and significant differences between newly generated tissue and normal tissue. These pain points have created an urgent market demand for a novel tissue regeneration material that can be manufactured at scale, features uniform and controllable structure, exhibits excellent biocompatibility, and enables scar-free repair. Such a material would fill the gaps left by traditional approaches in terms of “adaptability, repair quality, and scalability,” thereby addressing the core challenges in tissue regeneration and repair.

Addressing the dual challenges of “efficacy and compatibility” in the field of tissue regeneration and repair, the semi-solid freeze-casting technology developed by Sichuan University has achieved comprehensive breakthroughs—from fabrication processes to application outcomes—thanks to its innovative design. Its core advantages are primarily reflected inScalable Production, Controllable Structural Performance, and Excellent Biocompatibility and Repair EfficacyThree Major Dimensions.

Unlimited Scalable Manufacturing, Adaptable to Diverse Clinical Needs

This technology completely breaks through the size and shape constraints of traditional freeze-casting methods,"Dynamic freezing + mold forming" combination enables mass production of large-sized, irregularly shaped porous scaffolds.Whether it is a porous sheet with an area of 760 cm², a large-volume porous block with a thickness exceeding 2 cm, or customized shapes such as star or heart forms, structural consistency is maintained. The technology is compatible with a wide range of material systems, including polyurethane emulsions, hyaluronic acid solutions, alginate solutions, and hydroxyapatite suspensions, among other bioactive materials. It meets the repair needs for tissue defects in various sites, such as the oral mucosa and skin, thereby addressing the core bottleneck that has hindered the scalable application of traditional technologies.

Precisely Controllable Structural Performance, Replicating the Native Tissue Microenvironment

Technology enables precise customization of key properties of porous scaffolds through multi-stage process parameter regulation.Porosity can be optimized through the stirring phase (60%–80% with two-stage stirring, up to 95% with three-stage stirring), while pore size can be controlled within the range of 50–150 μm by adjusting the solid content of the material (10–40 wt%), perfectly matching the microenvironmental requirements for different types of tissue regeneration. More importantly, the semi-solid ice slurry formed during dynamic freezing yields a uniform isotropic porous structure after freeze-drying. Compared with the columnar ice crystal structure produced by traditional techniques, this structure better guides directional cell growth and “basket-weave” deposition of collagen fibers, providing stable three-dimensional support for tissue regeneration. Furthermore, the biomimetic design of the multi-layer patch (a bottom scaffold layer of 2–10 mm plus a top barrier layer of 0.2–0.8 mm) ensures mechanical support strength while resisting external friction and microbial invasion, making it suitable for complex physiological environments such as the oral cavity.

Excellent Biocompatibility for Efficient, Scar-Free Repair

The porous scaffolds and patches fabricated using this technology exhibit excellent biomedical performance.The material is composed of biocompatible polymers or ceramics, with degradation products that are non-cytotoxic. It achieves a cell viability rate exceeding 85%, undergoes complete degradation in vivo within approximately two months, and causes no significant damage to major organs. In terms of the repair mechanism, the scaffold effectively modulates the immune microenvironment by promoting the polarization of macrophages from the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype to the anti-inflammatory, pro-repair M2 phenotype, thereby reducing inflammatory cell infiltration and the expression of pro-inflammatory genes. Simultaneously, it broadly activates pro-healing signaling pathways such as Wnt and Hippo, accelerating granulation tissue formation and epithelialization. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that, in a porcine model of oral mucosal defects, this patch restores mouth opening to 83% of normal levels. The collagen structure of the regenerated tissue is highly consistent with that of normal mucosa, achieving nearly scar-free healing, which is significantly superior to the reparative effects of traditional gauze and decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) scaffolds.

This semi-solid freeze-casting technology, based on“Unrestricted Scalability, Precise Controllability, and Efficient Reparability”As its core competitiveness, it not only breaks through the size and structural limitations of traditional craftsmanship but also builds unique technical advantages in the field of tissue regeneration and repair through deep optimization of biocompatibility and functional targeting, providing more practical and innovative solutions for the repair of complex clinical defects.

The current market for tissue-engineered porous scaffolds exhibits a competitive landscape characterized by “traditional material-based scaffolds + functionalized biomimetic scaffolds,” with domestic and international enterprises and research institutions focusing on“Biomimetic Structure, Controllable Performance, Clinical Adaptability”Technological R&D is being expanded, with core differences concentrated in material systems, fabrication processes, and functional specificity. Some mature products have already achieved clinical translation, while emerging technologies are focused on addressing the challenges of complex tissue regeneration.

Dimensional Biologics Wedocage™ Porous Titanium Alloy Interbody Fusion Cage,Weidu (Xi’an) Biomedical Technology Co., Ltd. is a benchmark enterprise in China’s metal 3D-printed orthopedic implant sector. Its developed “Hydroxyapatite-Coated Porous Titanium Alloy Interbody Fusion Cage (Wedocage™)” has received market approval through the NMPA Class III medical device registration certificate, making it the world’s first approved 3D-printed porous titanium alloy interbody fusion cage with a bioactive coating. Mass production is achieved leveraging SLM metal 3D printing equipment and process support provided by Bright Laser Technologies.

This product features a “truss + microporous” structural design, utilizing 3D printing technology to construct an interconnected porous structure. Its surface is coated with hydroxyapatite via spray coating to enhance biocompatibility and osteoconductivity, making it suitable for orthopedic clinical applications such as spinal bone defects and interbody fusion. Its core advantages lie in superior mechanical properties and effective osseointegration; however, limitations include the non-degradable nature of the metallic material, which poses a risk of stress shielding upon long-term implantation, along with higher manufacturing costs.

Professor Hao Yongqiang’s team from Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, in collaboration with Farsoon Technologies,Developed Based on SLM Metal 3D Printing Technology“Porous Tantalum Stent”, it has currently entered the clinical application stage and represents a landmark innovation in the field of orthopedic bone regeneration in China. This scaffold is fabricated from highly bioactive tantalum metal using 3D printing technology to create a regular, interconnected porous structure. Its mechanical properties are well-matched to those of human bone, thereby avoiding stress shielding effects. Furthermore, it demonstrates superior performance in cell adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation compared to traditional Ti6Al4V alloy scaffolds.

The team has also innovatively developed a tantalum coating technology for titanium alloy surfaces, which offers both antibacterial and pro-angiogenic functions. Tantalum-coated, 3D-printed personalized prostheses have already been applied in clinical practice. Follow-up data over 3–5 years demonstrate that their clinical efficacy surpasses that of existing titanium alloy prostheses, particularly in the repair of complex bone defects. Furthermore, this technology was selected for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s “Jiebang Guashuai” (Open Competition) program, collaborating with 13 entities to promote the full domestication of the tantalum-based medical device industry chain. In summary, through dual breakthroughs in process innovation and structural design, this semi-solid freeze-casting technology achieves an organic integration of scalable manufacturing, controllable structural properties, and efficient reparative outcomes. It provides a practical and innovative solution for tissue regeneration and repair, demonstrating strong technical competitiveness and potential for clinical translation.