Chapter 2 describes the engineering of a novel high-throughput cell culture system, the Double Orthogonal Gradient (DOG) platform. This unique platform incorporates three distinct biomaterial surface parameters, crucial for guiding cell behavior: topography, stiffness, and wettability.
Chapter 3 integrates both isotropic (random) and anisotropic (aligned) surface topographies into the DOG platform to evaluate their combined influence on cell fate.
Challenges in implementing high-throughput systems in conventional laboratories are discussed in Chapter 4, emphasizing the importance of streamlining research pipelines for wider accessibility. Integration with a widely used well plate system aims to broaden the platform's accessibility, facilitating collaborative research and accelerating the development of bio-instructive medical implants.
In a broader scope, regulatory considerations for medical product development in the EU are outlined in Chapter 5, aiming to assist researchers and medical product developers in navigating the complex regulatory landscape.
Chapter 6 evaluates the main research findings, addressing remaining challenges, and outlining future perspectives for the technology developed.
This thesis emphasizes the importance of understanding and optimizing complex cell – biomaterial interactions, focusing on the development and utilization of a unique high-throughput screening platform. Most notably, the platform's ability to translate parameter combinations to physically separate surfaces is highlighted, enabling future in depth in vivo studies and potential translation towards bio-instructive medical implants.
