Overview
Professor Tim Woodfield.
Tissue Engineering (TE) and Regenerative Medicine (RM) combine a patient’s own cells with biodegradable scaffolds and growth factors. These therapies may offer considerable advantages over current surgical interventions used to repair or regenerate damaged tissues following trauma or disease.
The CReaTE group (Christchurch Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering Group), consists of a multidisciplinary research team led by Professor Tim Woodfield, and is working at the interface of cell-biology, biomaterials science and engineering.
Using advanced 3D scaffolds and in-vitro culture techniques, combined with adult human stem cells, our group is attempting to identify the complex cellular environments controlling tissue growth in 3D. We are also researching their application in translating cell-based therapies to the clinic.
Contact
Professor Tim Woodfield
Tel +64 3 378 6114
Email tim.woodfield@otago.ac.nz
Visit our Partnerships page for more about our partnerships and collaborations.
Research
Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
- Articular cartilage repair from clinically-relevant human cell sources
- Novel methods to enhance mesenchymal stem cell differentiation and tissue quality
- In vitro 3D culture models for mimicking native tissue organisation in vivo
- CT imaging of cartilage and engineered tissues
- Guided cell growth for neural / spinal cord regeneration
Advanced scaffold design and bio-manufacturing
- Solid free-form fabrication of porous scaffolds
- 3D plotting and tissue assembly
- 3D extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogel models to control cell function
- Pore architecture optimisation and modelling
Orthopaedic medical devices
- Novel metal alloys for bone interfacing implants
- Medical device design
- Total joint replacement and clinical outcomes (NZ National Joint Registry)
Our people
The team, led from University of Otago Christchurch campus, consists of mechanical engineers, clinicians, process engineers, mathematicians and surgeons.
Regenerative medicine research lead
Professor Tim Woodfield (Orthopaedics, Christchurch)
Lead researchers
- Professor Anthony Butler (Radiology, Christchurch)
Postdoctoral researchers and Research Assistants
- Dr Khoon Lim (CReaTE, Research Fellow)
- Dr Gabriella Lindberg (CReaTE, Postdoctoral Fellow)
- Dr Steven Cui (Postdoctoral Fellow)
- Dr Caroline Murphy (Postdoctoral Fellow)
A large number of postgraduate students have worked alongside our researchers to achieve their qualifications.
Visit our Regenerative Medicine students page
Media
Printing cartilage
A third of the New Zealand population will be aged over 60 by 2051. This growth, combined with an elderly population living longer and more active lives, means an epidemic of degenerative joint disease is fast approaching. Dr Tim Woodfield, of the Christchurch Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering (CReaTE) Group, is working on a way to address this epidemic.
Printing cartilage, He Kitenga Horizons (University of Otago research publication)
Radio interviews with Professor Tim Woodfield
- 3D Bioprinting Body Parts 2014 (RadioNZ website)
- The New Zealand team working on cutting edge tissue engineering 2014 (RadioNZ website)
Publications
Li, J., Mutreja, I., Tredinnick, S., Jermy, M., Hooper, G. J., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2020). Hydrodynamic control of titania nanotube formation on Ti-6Al-4V alloys enhances osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stromal cells. Materials Science & Engineering: C, 109, 110562. doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2019.110562
Cui, X., Soliman, B. G., Alcala-Orozco, C. R., Li, J., Vis, M. A. M., Santos, M., … Woodfield, T. B. F., … Lim, K. S. (2020). Rapid photocrosslinking of silk hydrogels with high cell density and enhanced shape fidelity. Advanced Healthcare Materials. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201901667
Li, J., Cui, X., Hooper, G. J., Lim, K. S., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2020). Rational design, bio-functionalization and biological performance of hybrid additive manufactured titanium implants for orthopaedic applications: A review. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.103671
Alcala-Orozco, C. R., Mutreja, I., Cui, X., Kumar, D., Hooper, G. J., Lim, K. S., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2020). Design and characterisation of multi-functional strontium-gelatin nanocomposite bioinks with improved print fidelity and osteogenic capacity. Bioprinting, 18, e00073. doi: 10.1016/j.bprint.2019.e00073
Li, J., Mutreja, I., Hooper, G. J., Clinch, K., Lim, K., Evans, G., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2020). Combined infection control and enhanced osteogenic differentiation capacity on additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V are mediated via titania nanotube delivery of novel biofilm inhibitors. Advanced Materials Interfaces. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/admi.201901963
Chapter in Book - Research
Atienza Roca, P., Cui, X., Hooper, G. J., Woodfield, T. B. F., Lim, K. S., & Khang, G. (2018). Growth factor delivery systems for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In H. J. Chun, C. H. Park & I. K. Kwon (Eds.), Advances in experimental medicine and biology: (Vol. 1078) Cutting-edge enabling technologies for regenerative medicine. (pp. 245-269). Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-13-0950-2_13
Woodfield, T., Lim, K., Morouço, P., Levato, R., Malda, J., & Melchels, F. (2017). Biofabrication in tissue engineering. In P. Ducheyne, D. W. Grainger, K. E. Healy, D. W. Hutmacher & C. J. Kirkpatrick (Eds.), Comprehensive biomaterials II: (Vol. 5) Tissue Engineering and regenerative medicine: Fundamentals. (2nd ed.) (pp. 236-266). Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-803581-8.10221-8
Hutmacher, D. W., Woodfield, T. B. F., & Dalton, P. D. (2015). Scaffold design and fabrication. In C. A. van Blitterswijk & J. de Boer (Eds.), Tissue engineering. (2nd ed.) (pp. 311-346). London, UK: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-420145-3.00010-9
Melchels, F., Malda, J., Fedorovich, N., Alblas, J., & Woodfield, T. (2011). Organ printing. In P. Ducheyne, K. E. Healy, D. W. Hutmacher, D. W. Grainger & C. J. Kirkpatrick (Eds.), Comprehensive biomaterials (vol. 5). (pp. 587-606). Elsevier Science.
Hutmacher, D., Woodfield, T., Dalton, P., & Lewis, J. (2008). Scaffold design and fabrication. In C. van Blitterswijk (Ed.), Tissue engineering. (pp. 403-454). London, UK: Academic Press.
Malda, J., Radisic, M., Levenberg, S., Woodfield, T., Bomens, C., Baaijens, F., … Vunjak-Novakovic, G. (2008). Cell nutrition. In C. van Blitterswijk (Ed.), Tissue engineering. (pp. 327-362). London, UK: Academic Press.
Habibovic, P., Woodfield, T., de Groot, K., & van Blitterswijk, C. (2006). Predictive value of in vitro and in vivo assays in bone and cartilage repair: What do they really tell us about the clinical performance? In J. P. Fisher (Ed.), Advances in experimental medicine & biology: (Vol. 5) Tissue engineering. (pp. 327-360). New York: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-0-387-34133-0_22
Journal - Research Article
Li, J., Mutreja, I., Tredinnick, S., Jermy, M., Hooper, G. J., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2020). Hydrodynamic control of titania nanotube formation on Ti-6Al-4V alloys enhances osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stromal cells. Materials Science & Engineering: C, 109, 110562. doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2019.110562
Li, J., Mutreja, I., Hooper, G. J., Clinch, K., Lim, K., Evans, G., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2020). Combined infection control and enhanced osteogenic differentiation capacity on additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V are mediated via titania nanotube delivery of novel biofilm inhibitors. Advanced Materials Interfaces. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/admi.201901963
Alcala-Orozco, C. R., Mutreja, I., Cui, X., Kumar, D., Hooper, G. J., Lim, K. S., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2020). Design and characterisation of multi-functional strontium-gelatin nanocomposite bioinks with improved print fidelity and osteogenic capacity. Bioprinting, 18, e00073. doi: 10.1016/j.bprint.2019.e00073
Li, J., Cui, X., Hooper, G. J., Lim, K. S., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2020). Rational design, bio-functionalization and biological performance of hybrid additive manufactured titanium implants for orthopaedic applications: A review. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.103671
Cui, X., Soliman, B. G., Alcala-Orozco, C. R., Li, J., Vis, M. A. M., Santos, M., … Woodfield, T. B. F., … Lim, K. S. (2020). Rapid photocrosslinking of silk hydrogels with high cell density and enhanced shape fidelity. Advanced Healthcare Materials. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201901667
Parrish, J., Lim, K., Zhang, B., Radisic, M., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2019). New frontiers for biofabrication and bioreactor design in microphysiological system development. Trends in Biotechnology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.04.009
Page, M., Baer, K., Schon, B., Mekhileri, N., Woodfield, T., & Puttlitz, C. (2019). Biaxial mechanics of 3D fiber deposited ply-laminate scaffolds for soft tissue engineering part I: Experimental evaluation. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2019.06.029
Lim, K. S., Klotz, B. J., Lindberg, G. C. J., Melchels, F. P. W., Hooper, G. J., Malda, J., … Woodfield, T. B. F. (2019). Visible light cross-linking of gelatin hydrogels offers an enhanced cell microenvironment with improved light penetration depth. Macromolecular Bioscience, 19(6), 1900098. doi: 10.1002/mabi.201900098
Lim, K. S., Baptista, M., Moon, S., Woodfield, T. B. F., & Rnjak-Kovacina, J. (2019). Microchannels in development, survival, and vascularisation of tissue analogues for regenerative medicine. Trends in Biotechnology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.04.004
Mutreja, I., Warring, S. L., Lim, K. S., Swadi, T., Clinch, K., Mason, J. M., … Chambers, S. T., … Gerth, M. L., … Woodfield, T. B. F. (2019). Biofilm inhibition via delivery of novel methylthioadenosine nucleosidase inhibitors from PVA-tyramine hydrogels while supporting mesenchymal stromal cell viability. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, 5(2), 748-758. doi: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b01141
Klotz, B. J., Oosterhoff, L. A., Utomo, L., Lim, K. S., Vallmajo-Martin, Q., Clevers, H., Woodfield, T. B. F., … Gawlitta, D. (2019). A versatile biosynthetic hydrogel platform for engineering of tissue analogues. Advanced Healthcare Materials. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201900979
Cidonio, G., Alcala-Orozco, C. R., Lim, K. S., Glinka, M., Mutreja, I., Kim, Y.-H., … Woodfield, T. B. F., & Oreffo, R. O. C. (2019). Osteogenic and angiogenic tissue formation in high fidelity nanocomposite Laponite-gelatin bioinks. Biofabrication, 11, 035027. doi: 10.1088/1758-5090/ab19fd
Lindberg, G. C. J., Longoni, A., Lim, K. S., Rosenberg, A. J., Hooper, G. J., Gawlitta, D., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2019). Intact vitreous humor as a potential extracellular matrix hydrogel for cartilage tissue engineering applications. Acta Biomaterialia, 85, 117-130. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2018.12.022
Bateman, C. J., Knight, D., Brandwacht, B., McMahon, J., Healy, J., Panta, R., Aamir, R., Rajendran, K., Moghiseh, M., Ramyar, M., … de Ruiter, N., … Shamshad, M., Anjomrouz, M., Atharifard, A., … Bheesette, S., … Anderson, N. G., Gieseg, S. P., Woodfield, T., Renaud, P. F., Butler, A. P. H., & Butler, P. H. (2018). MARS-MD: Rejection based image domain material decomposition. Journal of Instrumentation, 13, P05020. doi: 10.1088/1748-0221/13/05/p05020
Mekhileri, N. V., Lim, K. S., Brown, G. C. J., Mutreja, I., Schon, B. S., Hooper, G. J., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2018). Automated 3D bioassembly of micro-tissues for biofabrication of hybrid tissue engineered constructs. Biofabrication, 10(2). doi: 10.1088/1758-5090/aa9ef1
Klotz, B. J., Lim, K. S., Chang, Y. X., Soliman, B. G., Pennings, I., Melchels, F. P. W., Woodfield, T. B. F., … Gawlitta, D. (2018). Engineers of a complex bone tissue model with endothelialised channels and capillary-like networks. European Cells & Materials, 35, 335-349. doi: 10.22203/eCM.v035a23
Parrish, J., Lim, K. S., Baer, K., Hooper, G. J., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2018). A 96-well microplate bioreactor platform supporting individual dual perfusion and high-throughput assessment of simple or biofabricated 3D tissue models. Lab on a Chip, (18), 2757-2775. doi: 10.1039/c8lc00485d
Lim, K. S., Levato, R., Costa, P. F., Castilho, M. D., Alcala-Orozco, C. R., van Dorenmalen, K. M. A., … Hooper, G. J., … Woodfield, T. B. F. (2018). Bio-resin for high resolution lithography-based biofabrication of complex cell laden constructs. Biofabrication, 10, 034101. doi: 10.1088/1758-5090/aac00c
