Bayreuth expert in biofabrication wins award for innovative therapy proposal in ophthalmology

Sicca syndrome is an autoimmune disease that primarily affects the secretory glands of the eyes and mouth. As a result, tear and fluid production are disturbed. The consequences include increased dryness and more frequent inflammation of the eyes, which can damage vision in the long term. Dr. Salehi-Müller, a group leader at the Faculty of Engineering, has been working on tissue engineering for many years. One focus is on biomedical applications of 3D printing technology that are adapted to the individual needs of patients. For example, she has developed new materials for corneal regeneration in the human eye in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Mahshid Kharaziha from the Isfahan University of Technology in Iran, who is currently a fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation at the Chair of Biomaterials in Bayreuth. In a paper published in 2021, Dr. Salehi-Müller and her team were able to show that composite films made of modified gelatin and silk nanofibrils are excellently suited for this purpose. Cells of the corneal stroma are able to accumulate and proliferate in large numbers on the films. The films have the advantage that their mechanical properties are similar to those of natural corneal tissue.

At this year's annual congress of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG), Dr. Sahar Salehi-Müller presented the biofabrication of the composite films using 3D printing and proposed that the films be used to treat sicca syndrome. For this proposal, she was awarded one of the 2022 Sicca Awards. This is already the second time that the Bayreuth materials researcher has been able to prevail over numerous proposals submitted by ophthalmic clinics and ophthalmic practices and has won a Sicca prize. In 2013, she was honored for the results of her doctoral thesis, which investigated artificial scaffolds for corneal regeneration in the eye. 

Publication:
A. Farasatkia, M. Kharaziha, F. Ashrafizadeh, S. Salehi: Transparent silk/gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) fibrillar film for corneal regeneration. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 120, January 2021, 111744. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2020.111744