How bacteria and textile fibers can heal bones

Have you ever wondered if there is a way to heal bones without having to take bone from another part of the body? A new doctoral thesis from the University of Borås, Sweden, now presents exciting advancements in this area. It involves using bacteria to produce fibers that can help heal bones.

Sabrina Kopf, Ph.D. in Polymer Technology, has investigated a special type of bioplastic, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), produced by bacteria.

“The idea is to use these fibers in textile structures that can support bone healing in cases of large bone defects. For bones to heal, bone cells need something to attach to. Bone cells recognize the substance calcium phosphate. Therefore, we have added this substance to the fibers,” she explained.

The biggest challenge in the project was processing PHA into fibers with the equipment available in the laboratory. By melting the plastic and pressing it through a hole, similar to making spaghetti, she was able to produce fibers. These were then tested with bone cells to see if the cells could survive on the material.

“It turned out that it is possible to produce fibers with similar strength to bone. Additionally, we were able to produce simple knitted and woven textile structures from these fibers. The bone cells adhered to the material’s surface and appeared healthy, which is a good sign,” said Kopf.

Bone is, after blood, the second most transplanted tissue in the world, indicating a significant need for bone replacement materials.

“Today, bone from the patient’s own body is often used, meaning that bone is taken from, for example, the pelvis and transplanted to the damaged area in the body. This limits the amount of bone available. Additionally, the risk of complications at the donation site is high. Using synthetic materials like PHA fibers could be a solution to this problem,” said Kopf.

PHA fibers are also environmentally friendly. They can be produced from residuals and degrade in all types of environments without remaining as microplastics. This makes them a sustainable option for the future.

“The results of my project are a small step forward in biomedical research and can inspire other researchers to explore the potential of textiles in medical applications,” said Kopf.

Research at the University of Borås focuses on sustainable development based on global goals. Sabrina explained how this project connects to these goals: “Being able to produce fibers from PHA benefits not only the health care sector, even though that was the approach of my thesis. The fibers can also be used in other textile applications and contribute in all aspects where textiles are involved in the UN’s sustainable development goals, as PHA and its products are biodegradable and have no negative impact on the environment.”

Kopf will start as a researcher in melt spinning at RISE in the fiber development department, working with the same technology she used in her thesis.