Professor Tim Woodfield, Our people, Christchurch Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering research group, University of Otago, New Zealand

Research Professor

Rutherford Discovery Fellow 2012-2017

BE(Hons)(Cant) MASc(Tor) PhD(Twente)

Professor Woodfield leads the Christchurch Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering (CReaTE) Group which is associated with the University of Otago’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and its Centre for Bioengineering & Nanomedicine. The Department’s location at the Christchurch hospital campus helps him maintain strong connections with the city’s medical and surgical staff, and the Centre draws upon talent across several disciplines based out of the University’s Dunedin, Christchurch, and Wellington locations in New Zealand.

His CReaTE Group is pursuing stem cell and biomaterial-based strategies for musculoskeletal tissue regeneration, and is primarily investigating their application in the clinical translation of orthopaedic medical devices & cell-based therapies.

The Group’s research technology platform includes complex 3D Biofabrication and Additive Manufacturing of biomaterial scaffolds and titanium medical devices applied to regenerative medicine of cartilage and bone, including: novel bio-ink/bio-resin development, delivery of novel biofilm inhibiters, advanced 3D tissue culture models, and high throughput screening.

Tim is a Principal Investigator within the New Zealand Medical Technology Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE), and he is an adjunct Associate Professor in the Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, in Australia, as well as for the Auckland Bioegineering Institute, in the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

He has published over 100 peer reviewed journal articles, book chapters and proceedings (h-index: 30), and has acted as coordinator of the recent European Commission ‘skelGEN’ consortia project.

He has attracted over NZ$26 million in competitive research funding as Principal or Named Investigator through grants from the Royal Society of New Zealand, MBIE, HRC, AO Foundation.

Tim is a previous recipient of a prestigious Rutherford Discovery Fellowship, awarded to him by the Royal Society of New Zealand.

He serves the International Society for Biofabrication (ISBF) as its President Elect and Executive Board Member, and is the former President of the Australasian Society for Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering (ASBTE). He also sits on the Asia Pacific Council for the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS), and is an Editorial Board Member for Biofabrication, APL Bioengineering, and Frontiers in Bioengineering & Biotechnology.

Inaugural Professorial Lecture

Roles

Principal Investigator, Christchurch Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering (CReaTE) Group
Director, University of Otago Centre for Bioengineering & Nanomedicine
Theme Leader, Regenerative Medicine – University of Otago Centre for Bioengineering & Nanomedicine
Adjunct Associate Professor, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
Adjunct Senior Fellow, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Principal Investigator, Centre of Research Excellence in Medical Technologies
Associate Investigator, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Diversity

Professional affiliations

President-Elect & Exec Board Member
International Society for Biofabrication
Past President
Australasian Society for Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering (ASBTE)
Council Member
Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society, Asia-Pacific Chapter (TERMIS-AP)
Secretary
Biofabrication Thematic Group, Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS)
Editorial Board Member
Biofabrication (IOPscience)
Associate Editor and Editorial Board Member
Frontiers in Biomaterials
Editorial Board Member
APL Bioengineering

Professional interests

Orthopaedic Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Stem cell and scaffold-based regeneration of cartilage and bone
Bio-fabrication and advanced bio-ink/bio-resins
Orthopaedic medical device development

Christchurch Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering (CReATE) Group website
Regenerative Medicine website - Centre for Bioengineering & Nanomedicine

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Publications

Bolam, S. M., Zhu, M. F., Lim, K. S., Konar, S., Oliver, M. H., Buckels, E., … Woodfield, T., … Musson, D. S. (2023). Combined growth factor hydrogel enhances rotator cuff enthesis healing in rat but not sheep model. Tissue Engineering Part A. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1089/ten.TEA.2022.0215

Dai, Y., Qiao, K., Li, D., Isingizwe, P., Liu, H., Liu, Y., Lim, K., Woodfield, T., … Cui, X. (2023). Plant-derived biomaterials and their potential in cardiac tissue repair. Advanced Healthcare Materials. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202202827

Woodfield, T., Shum, J., Linkhorn, W., Gadomski, B., Puttlitz, C., McGilvray, K., … Hooper, G. J. (2023). Going low: Low modulus graft-free 3D-printed titanium interbody cages show comparable bone formation to peek with graft. Orthopaedic Proceedings, 105-B(Suppl. 3), (pp. 99). doi: 10.1302/1358-992X.2023.3.099

Woodfield, T., Shum, J., Tredinnick, S., Gadomski, B., Fernandez, J., McGilvray, K., … Hooper, G. J. (2023). Be a softy: Enhanced bone formation in optimized, low-stiffness 3D-printed titanium implants: An in vivo tibial osteotomy study. Orthopaedic Proceedings, 105-B(Suppl. 3), 98. doi: 10.1302/1358-992X.2023.3.098

Abdelmoneim, D., Porter, G., Duncan, W., Lim, K., Easingwood, R., Woodfield, T., & Coates, D. (2023). Three-dimensional evaluation of the cytotoxicity and antibacterial properties of alpha lipoic acid-capped silver nanoparticle constructs for oral applications. Nanomaterials, 13, 705. doi: 10.3390/nano13040705

Kumar, P., Singh, B., Chaudhari, P., Jose, J., Butler, A., Prebble, H., Moghiseh, M., and the MARS Collaboration, including Schleich, N. C., & Woodfield, T. (2019). Preclinical non-invasive imaging in cancer research and drug discovery: An overview. In K. Bose & P. Chaudhari (Eds.), Unravelling cancer signaling pathways: A multidisciplinary approach. (pp. 419-469). Singapore: Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/978-981-32-9816-3_17

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

Chapter in Book - Research

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

Chapter in Book - Research

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

Chapter in Book - Research

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.

Chapter in Book - Research

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.

Chapter in Book - Research

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.

Chapter in Book - Research

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

Chapter in Book - Research

Journal - Research Article

Soliman, B. G., Longoni, A., Wang, M., Li, W., Bernal, P. N., Cianciosi, A., Lindberg, G. C. J., … Woodfield, T. B. F., … Lim, K. S. (2023). Programming delayed dissolution into sacrificial bioinks for dynamic temporal control of architecture within 3D-bioprinted constructs. Advanced Functional Materials, 2210521. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/adfm.202210521

Journal - Research Article

Xie, F., Cui, X., Zhi, X., Yao, D., Johannessen, B., Lin, T., … Woodfield, T. B. F., … Qiao, S.-Z. (2023). A general approach to 3D-printed single-atom catalysts. Nature Synthesis. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1038/s44160-022-00193-3

Journal - Research Article

Alcala-Orozco, C. R., Mutreja, I., Cui, X., Hooper, G. J., Lim, K. S., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2022). Hybrid biofabrication of 3D osteoconductive constructs comprising Mg-based nanocomposites and cell-laden bioinks for bone repair. Bone, 154, 116198. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2021.116198

Journal - Research Article

Cui, X., Alcala-Orozco, C. R., Baer, K., Li, J., Murphy, C. A., Durham, M., Lindberg, G., Hooper, G. J., Lim, K. S., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2022). 3D bioassembly of cell-instructive chondrogenic and osteogenic hydrogel microspheres containing allogeneic stem cells for hybrid biofabrication of osteochondral constructs. Biofabrication, 14(3), 034101. doi: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac61a3

Journal - Research Article

Li, J., Cui, X., Lindberg, G. C. J., Alcala-Orozco, C. R., Hooper, G. J., Lim, K. S., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2022). Hybrid fabrication of photo-clickable vascular hydrogels with additive manufactured titanium implants for enhanced osseointegration and vascularized bone formation. Biofabrication, 14(3), 034103. doi: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac6051

Journal - Research Article

Major, G. S., Simcock, J. W., Woodfield, T. B. F., & Lim, K. S. (2022). Overcoming functional challenges in autologous and engineered fat grafting trends. Trends in Biotechnology, 40(1), 77-92. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.04.006

Journal - Research Article

Man, K., Alcala, C., Mekhileri, N. V., Lim, K. S., Jiang, L.-H., Woodfield, T. B. F., & Yang, X. B. (2022). GelMA hydrogel reinforced with 3D printed PEGT/PBT scaffolds for supporting epigenetically-activated human bone marrow stromal cells for bone repair. Journal of Functional Biomaterials, 13, 41. doi: 10.3390/jfb13020041

Journal - Research Article

Mekhileri, N. V., Major, G., Lim, K., Mutreja, I., Chitcholtan, K., Phillips, E., Hooper, G., & Woodfield, T. (2022). Biofabrication of modular spheroids as tumour-scale microenvironments for drug screening. Advanced Healthcare Materials. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202201581

Journal - Research Article

Qiao, K., Xu, L., Tang, J., Wang, Q., Lim, K. S., Hooper, G., Woodfield, T. B. F., … Cui, X. (2022). The advances in nanomedicine for bone and cartilage repair. Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 20, 141. doi: 10.1186/s12951-022-01342-8

Journal - Research Article

Shum, J. M., Gadomski, B. C., Tredinnick, S. J., Fok, W., Fernandez, J., Nelson, B., … Hooper, G., Puttlitz, C., … Woodfield, T. B. F. (2022). Enhanced bone formation in locally-optimised, low-stiffness additive manufactured titanium implants: An in silico and in vivo tibial advancement study. Acta Biomaterialia. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.04.006

Journal - Research Article

Soliman, B. G., Major, G. S., Atienza-Roca, P., Murphy, C. A., Longoni, A., Alcala-Orozco, C. R., … Woodfield, T. B. F., & Lim, K. S. (2022). Development and characterization of gelatin-norbornene bioink to understand the interplay between physical architecture and micro-capillary formation in biofabricated vascularized constructs. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 11(2), 2101873. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202101873

Journal - Research Article

Tang, J., Cui, X., Zhang, Z., Xu, Y., Guo, J., Soliman, B. G., … Lim, K. S., Woodfield, T. B. F., & Zhang, J. (2022). Injection-free delivery of MSC-derived extracellular vesicles for myocardial infarction therapeutics. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 11(5), 2100312. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202100312

Journal - Research Article

Veenendaal, L., Longoni, A., Hooper, G. J., Lim, K. S., Woodfield, T. B. F., & Lindberg, G. C. J. (2022). 3D-bioassembly of VH-spheroids for cartilage regeneration: In vitro evaluation of chondrogenesis, fusion and lateral integration. Advanced Materials Interfaces, 9(31), 2200882. doi: 10.1002/admi.202200882

Journal - Research Article

Wyatt, M. C., Kieser, D. C., Frampton, C. M. A., Woodfield, T., & Hooper, G. J. (2022). 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, 32(1), 73-79. doi: 10.1177/1120700020918233

Journal - Research Article

Zhu, M., Tay, M. L., Lim, K. S., Bolam, S. M., Tuari, D., Callon, K., … Woodfield, T. B. F., … Musson, D. S. (2022). Novel growth factor combination for improving rotator cuff repair: A rat in vivo study. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(4), 1044-1053. doi: 10.1177/03635465211072557

Journal - Research Article

Alcala-Orozco, C. R., Cui, X., Hooper, G. J., Lim, K. S., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2021). Converging functionality: Strategies for 3D hybrid-construct biofabrication and the role of composite biomaterials for skeletal regeneration. Acta Biomaterialia, 132, 188-216. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.03.008

Journal - Research Article

Aldrich, E. D., Cui, X., Murphy, C. A., Lim, K. S., Hooper, G. J., McIlwraith, C. W., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2021). Allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells for cartilage regeneration: A review of in vitro evaluation, clinical experience, and translational opportunities. Stem Cells Translational Medicine, 10(11), 1500-1515. doi: 10.1002/sctm.20-0552

Journal - Research Article

Baer, K., Kieser, S., Schon, B., Rajendran, K., ten Harkel, T., Ramyar, M., … Bateman, C., Butler, A., Raja, A. Y., Hooper, G., Anderson, N., & Woodfield, T. (2021). Spectral CT imaging of human osteoarthritic cartilage via quantitative assessment of glycosaminoglycan content using multiple contrast agents. APL Bioengineering, 5(2), 026101. doi: 10.1063/5.0035312

Journal - Research Article

Kim, H., Kang, B., Cui, X., Lee, S.-H., Lee, K., Cho, D.-W., … Woodfield, T. B. F., Lim, K. S., & Jang, J. (2021). Light-activated decellularized extracellular matrix-based bioinks for volumetric tissue analogs at the centimeter scale. Advanced Functional Materials, 31(32), 211252. doi: 10.1002/adfm.202011252

Journal - Research Article

Levato, R., Lim, K. S., Li, W., Usua, A. U., Peña, L. B., Wang, M., … Woodfield, T. B. F., & Malda, J. (2021). High-resolution lithographic biofabrication of hydrogels with complex microchannels from low-temperature-soluble gelatin bioresins. Materials Today Bio, 12, 100162. doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2021.100162

Journal - Research Article

Li, W., Wang, M., Mille, L. S., Robledo Lara, J. A., Huerta, V., Uribe Velázquez, T., … Murphy, C. A., … Woodfield, T. B. F., Lim, K. S., & Zhang, Y. S. (2021). A smartphone-enabled portable digital light processing 3D printer. Advanced Materials, 33(35), 2102153. doi: 10.1002/adma.202102153

Journal - Research Article

Lindberg, G. C. J., Cui, X., Durham, M., Veenendaal, L., Schon, B. S., Hooper, G. J., Lim, K. S., & Woodfield, T. B. F. (2021). Probing multicellular tissue fusion of cocultured spheroids: A 3D-bioassembly model. Advanced Science, 8(22), 2103320. doi: 10.1002/advs.202103320

Journal - Research Article

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

Journal - Research Article

Longoni, A., Li, J., Lindberg, G. C. J., Rnjak-Kovacina, J., Wise, L. M., Hooper, G. J., Woodfield, T. B. F., Kieser, D. C., & Lim, K. S. (2021). Strategies for inclusion of growth factors into 3D printed bone grafts. Essays in Biochemistry, 65(3), 569-585. doi: 10.1042/ebc20200130

Journal - Research Article

Man, K., Mekhileri, N., Lim, K. S., Jiang, L.-H., Woodfield, T. B. F., & Yang, X. B. (2021). MI192 induced epigenetic reprogramming enhances the therapeutic efficacy of human bone marrows stromal cells for bone regeneration. Bone, 153, 116138. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2021.116138

Journal - Research Article

Soja, A., Li, J., Tredinnick, S., & Woodfield, T. (2021). Surface finishing of additively manufactured stainless steel surgical instruments. Rapid Prototyping Journal, 27(1), 59-70. doi: 10.1108/RPJ-01-2020-0009

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, 51(Suppl. 1), S75-S85. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2020.1867202

Journal - Research Article

Yang, K.-H., Lindberg, G., Soliman, B., Lim, K., Woodfield, T., & Narayan, R. J. (2021). Effect of photoinitiator on precursory stability and curing depth of thiol-ene clickable gelatin. Polymers, 13(11), 1877. doi: 10.3390/polym13111877

Journal - Research Article

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

Journal - Research Article

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

Journal - Research Article

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, 8, 7093-7105. doi: 10.1039/d0bm01010c

Journal - Research Article

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

Journal - Research Article

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

Journal - Research Article

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

Journal - Research Article

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

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

Journal - Research Article

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

Journal - Research Article

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

Journal - Research Article

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