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
Stamp, L. K., Cameron, V. A., Woodfield, T. B. F., Walker, L., Currie, M., Templeton, E., Pilbrow, A. P., Tabakakis, K., Phillips, E., & Lim, K. S. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on health research in New Zealand: A case study of a research-intensive campus. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2020.1867202
Lindberg, G. C. J., Lim, K. S., Soliman, B. G., Nguyen, A., Hooper, G. J., Narayan, R. J., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2021). Biological function following radical photo-polymerization of biomedical polymers and surrounding tissues: Design considerations and cellular risk factors. Applied Physics Reviews, 8(1), 011301. doi: 10.1063/5.0015093
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, 105, 103671. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.103671
Cui, X., Li, J., Hartanto, Y., Durham, M., Tang, J., Zhang, H., Hooper, G., Lim, K., & Woodfield, T. (2020). Advances in extrusion 3D bioprinting: A focus on multicomponent hydrogel-based bioinks. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 9, 1901648. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201901648
Soja, A., Li, J., Tredinnick, S., & Woodfield, T. (2020). Surface finishing of additively manufactured stainless steel surgical instruments. Rapid Prototyping Journal. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1108/RPJ-01-2020-0009
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
Stamp, L. K., Cameron, V. A., Woodfield, T. B. F., Walker, L., Currie, M., Templeton, E., Pilbrow, A. P., Tabakakis, K., Phillips, E., & Lim, K. S. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on health research in New Zealand: A case study of a research-intensive campus. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2020.1867202
Lindberg, G. C. J., Lim, K. S., Soliman, B. G., Nguyen, A., Hooper, G. J., Narayan, R. J., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2021). Biological function following radical photo-polymerization of biomedical polymers and surrounding tissues: Design considerations and cellular risk factors. Applied Physics Reviews, 8(1), 011301. doi: 10.1063/5.0015093
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, 105, 103671. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.103671
Soja, A., Li, J., Tredinnick, S., & Woodfield, T. (2020). Surface finishing of additively manufactured stainless steel surgical instruments. Rapid Prototyping Journal. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1108/RPJ-01-2020-0009
Cui, X., Li, J., Hartanto, Y., Durham, M., Tang, J., Zhang, H., Hooper, G., Lim, K., & Woodfield, T. (2020). Advances in extrusion 3D bioprinting: A focus on multicomponent hydrogel-based bioinks. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 9, 1901648. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201901648
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, 9, 1901667. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201901667
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
Zhang, J., Cui, X., Guo, J., Cao, C., Zhang, Z., Wang, B., … Lim, K., Woodfield, T., … Zhang, J. (2020). Small but significant: Insights and new perspectives of exosomes in cardiovascular disease. Journal of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, 24, 8291-9303. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.15492
Lim, K. S., Abinzano, F., Nuñez Bernal, P., Albillos Sanchez, A., Atienza-Roca, P., Otto, I. A., … Woodfield, T. B. F., … Levato, R. (2020). One-step photoactivation of a dual-functionalized bioink as cell carrier and cartilage-binding glue for chondral regeneration. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 9, 1901792. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201901792
Wyatt, M. C., Kieser, D. C., Frampton, C. M. A., Woodfield, T., & Hooper, G. J. (2020). How do 3D-printed primary uncemented acetabular components compare with established uncemented acetabular cups? The experience of the New Zealand National Joint Registry. HIP International. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/1120700020918233
Lim, K. S., Galarraga, J. H., Cui, X., Lindberg, G. C. J., Burdick, J. A., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2020). Fundamentals and applications of photo-cross-linking in bioprinting. Chemical Reviews, 120, 10662-10694. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00812
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, 7, 1901963. doi: 10.1002/admi.201901963
Atienza-Roca, P., Kieser, D., Cui, X., Bathish, B., Ramaswamy, Y., Hooper, G. J., Clarkson, A. N., … Wise, L. M., Woodfield, T. B. F., & Lim, K. S. (2020). Visible light mediated PVA-tyramine hydrogels for covalent incorporation and tailorable release of functional growth factors. Biomaterials Science, 8(18), 5005-5019. doi: 10.1039/D0BM00603C
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
Soliman, B. G., Lindberg, G. C. J., Jungst, T., Hooper, G. J., Groll, J., Woodfield, T. B. F., & Lim, K. S. (2020). Stepwise control of crosslinking in a one-pot system for bioprinting of low-density bioinks. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 9, 1901544. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201901544
Baptista, M., Jouhkdar, H., Alcala-Orozco, C. R., Lau, K., Jiang, S., Cui, X., … Woodfield, T. B. F., Lim, K. S., & Rnjak-Kovacina, J. (2020). Silk fibroin photo-lyogels containing microchannels as a biomaterial platform for in situ tissue engineering. Biomaterials Science. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1039/d0bm01010c
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
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
