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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 378 6011
Email
gabriella.lindberg@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position
Research Fellow
Department
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Medicine (Christchurch)
Research summary
Bioresponsive hydrogels, biomaterials, 3D-biofabrication, CReaTE Research Group

Research

Working at the interface of molecular research, biology, chemistry, material science and technology, Dr Lindberg’s research is in pursuit of a blueprint to bridge the gap between engineered and native tissues.

Dr Lindberg is currently a Research Fellow in the Christchurch Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering (CReaTE) Group, University of Otago, Christchurch. Her expertise lies in engineering and integrating structure-function relationships by developing bioresponsive hydrogel biomaterials and applying 3D-biofabrication technologies to replace and/or regenerate damaged and diseased cartilage or bone tissues.p>

Research interests

Dr Lindberg's research is focused on the design of cell-instructive photo-polymerisable hydrogel bioinks and bioresins that mimics the native architectural organisation and biological niche, capable of adapting to the constantly changing micro-environment as the new tissue is forming. She further strives to apply these technologies to study how cells respond to being the engineers themselves compared to environmental signals dictated by researchers.

The development of smart chemical and biological toolkits for tissue engineering applications may provide us with a better understanding of cell-material and cell-extra cellular matrix interactions to help engineering constructs with sufficient tissue quality that further replicates the native 3D organisation.

With only 3 years post-PhD, Dr. Lindberg has secured $615k in contestable funding as PI, including the prestigious Emerging Researcher First Grant ($250k). She furthermore holds a provisional patent and is named investigator on grant funded projects worth over $2.7M.

Her research is part of larger collaborative projects involving both national and international collaborators in the likes of Germany, Netherlands and Australia.



Research projects

Bioinks for Cartilage Tissue Engineering

We explore the design of cell-instructive hydrogels for promotion of functional cartilage tissue in vitro through the identification of controllable chemistry systems and biocomplex matrix components. The combination of chemistry (thiol-ene and methacryloyl), biological (heparin, Vitreous humor, gelatin and hyaluronic acid) and physical (photo-initiating systems and macromolecules) elegantly widened the biofabrication window, establishing structure to function relationships and enhancing cartilage differentiation.

3D-bioassembly of clinically relevant orthopaedic replacement grafts

We explore a roadmap for scalable, reproducible, automated, large-scale biofabrication of tissue engineered products with a high level of cell–cell interaction in combination with structurally reinforcing scaffolds using bottom-up modular 3D-bioassembly technologies.

Oxygen Control in 3D-bioprinted osteochondral constructs

We explore how oxygen can serve as both a metabolic substrate and as a signaling molecule by incorporating biological and synthetic oxygen releasing/generating compounds into bioinks to gain spatial-temporal control over oxygen concentrations.

Personalised 3D Tissue Models: Reducing Health Inequities in Cartilage Therapies

We explore demographic inequities by screening and identifying donor variability and subsequently developing smart, patient-specific, 3D-models and bioimplants to counteract reduced cell regeneration potential in both healthy and diseased osteoarthritic environments.

Publications

Norberg, A. E., Yavitt, F. M., Bakirci, E., Lim, K., Woodfield, T. B. F., & Lindberg, G. C. J. (2025). Spatial patterning of modular gelatin-peroxide microspheres in melt-electrowritten scaffolds provides controlled oxygen generation and mitigates hypoxia and cytotoxicity. Advanced Healthcare Materials. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202503713 Journal - Research Article

Veenendaal, L., Liu, V. Y., Lacey, C., Lim, K. S., Hooper, G. J., Woodfield, T. B. F., & Lindberg, G. C. J. (2025). Donor ethnicity, sex, and age impact chondrogenic re-differentiation capacity: A multi-demographic study of human articular chondrocytes in vitro. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 55(6), 1542-1562. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2024.2340481 Journal - Research Article

Woodfield, T. B., Lim, K., Lindberg, G., Cui, S., Veenendaal, L., Major, G., & Hooper, G. (2024). Scalable spheroid biofabrication plaforms for musculoskeletal regenerative medicine and disease modelling. Tissue Engineering Part A, 30(15-16), 216. doi: 10.1089/ten.tea.2024.06979.abs Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Lindberg, G., Norberg, A., Veenendaal, L., Hofmann, M., Shchotkina, N., Gautreaux, M., Lim, K., … Woodfield, T. (2024). Towards clinically relevant cartilage repair: Oxygen control, tissue integration and immunomodulation. Tissue Engineering Part A, 30(15-16), 20. doi: 10.1089/ten.tea.2024.06979.abs Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Woodfield, T., Lim, K., Lindberg, G., Cui, S., Murphy, C., Veenendaal, L., Major, G., & Hooper, G. (2024, September). Biofabrication of advanced hydrogel and tissue spheroid fusion models for regenerative medicine and disease modelling. Poster session presented at the Queenstown Research Week (QRW) Biomolecular Interactions Meeting, Queenstown, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

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