PhD Defence Francesca Giacomini

Keywords: Enthesis, tendon, regenerative medicine, organ-on-chip 
 

"Making attachments: Advancing enthesis regeneration through miniaturized models"

This thesis focuses on improving how we study and repair the enthesis, the area where tendons and ligaments connect to bones. Injuries to this region often heal poorly and current treatments don’t fully restore its function. To tackle this, this thesis explores new ways to recreate and study the enthesis in the lab. Different models were developed, including flat surfaces with aligned fibers to guide cell growth, 3D systems that better mimic real tissue structure, and a miniature “organ-on-a-chip” that simulates inflammation and healing. Another model used tiny cell aggregates that fused together to form a simplified version of the enthesis.  

These lab-grown systems help scientists understand how the enthesis works, what goes wrong during injury or disease, and how potential treatments might help. Overall, this work provides new tools to study and treat tendon and ligament injuries more effectively, with the hope of improving long-term outcomes for patients. 

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