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  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 16
    Citation - Scopus: 17
    Synthesis and Characterization of Antibacterial Drug Loaded Β-Tricalcium Phosphate Powders for Bone Engineering Applications
    (Springer, 2020) Topsakal, Aysenur; Ekren, Nazmi; Kilic, Osman; Oktar, Faik N.; Mahirogullari, Mahir; Ozkan, Ozan; Gunduz, Oguzhan
    Powders of beta-tricalcium phosphate [beta-TCP, beta-Ca-3(PO4)(2)] and composite powders of beta-TCP and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were synthesized by using wet precipitation methods. First, the conditions for the preparation of single phase beta-TCP have been delineated. In the co-precipitation procedure, calcium nitrate and diammonium hydrogen phosphate were used as calcium and phosphorous precursors, respectively. The pH of the system was varied in the range 7-11 by adding designed amounts of ammonia solution. The filtered cakes were desiccated at 80 degrees C and subsequently calcined at different temperatures in the range between 700-1100 degrees C. Later on, rifampicin form II was used to produce drug-loaded beta-TCP and PVA/beta-TCP powders. All the synthesized materials have been characterized from morphological (by scanning electron microscopy) and structural-chemical (by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) point of view. The drug loading capacity of the selected pure beta-TCP powder has been assessed. The biological performance (cytocompatibility in fibroblast cell culture and antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) has been tested with promising results. Application perspectives of the designed drug-bioceramic-polymer blends are advanced and discussed. [GRAPHICS] .
  • Article
    Design and Fabrication of Dual-Layered PCL/PEG Theranostic Platforms Using 3D Melt Electrowriting for Targeted Delivery and Post-Treatment Monitoring
    (Springer, 2025) Ege, Zeynep Ruya; Enguven, Gozde; Ege, Hasan; Durukan, Barkan Kagan; Sasmazel, Hilal Turkoglu; Gunduz, Oguzhan
    Advanced pancreatic tumors remain highly resistant to treatment due to their dense stromal environment and poor vascularization, which limit drug penetration and efficacy. Even after surgical resection, the high recurrence rate frequently leads to poor prognosis and mortality. To address these challenges, we developed solvent-free three-dimensional (3D) melt electrowritten (MEW) theranostic microfiber patches composed of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). The patches were designed as dual-layered, 10-layer structures, with gemcitabine (GEM) loaded in the bottom five layers for localized chemotherapy to suppress tumor recurrence, and indocyanine green (ICG) incorporated in the top five layers to enable fluorescence-based post-surgical monitoring. Following fabrication, the patches were characterized both materially and in vitro, with GEM loaded at 100, 250, or 500 mu g/ml. PEG incorporation improved patch flexibility, facilitating the implantation process. In vitro release analysis demonstrated an initial burst followed by sustained, pH-responsive GEM release (similar to 70% at pH 4.0 and similar to 30% at pH 7.4 for 500 mu g/mL GEM at 168 h), while ICG release reached similar to 25% (pH 7.4) and similar to 10% (pH 4.0). GEM-loaded patches significantly reduced Capan-1 cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner, achieving >= 50% reduction at 72 h with 500 mu g/mL. Importantly, ICG incorporation did not impair GEM cytotoxicity; confocal imaging confirmed ICG internalization in viable cells and showed a decline in ICG-positive cells with increasing GEM dose, supporting the potential for concurrent therapy and monitoring. Thus, the theranostic patches enable localized, pH-responsive GEM delivery with integrated ICG-based fluorescence imaging, achieving significant cytotoxicity against pancreatic cancer cells while providing a platform for post-surgical surveillance. This solvent-free, layer-addressable approach represents a promising strategy for personalized, locally implantable theranostic systems in pancreatic cancer treatment.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 5
    Citation - Scopus: 5
    Physico-Chemical Characterization and in Vitro Biological Study of Manganese Doped Β-Tricalcium Phosphate-Based Ceramics for Bone Regeneration Applications
    (Springer, 2023) Arpak, Mehmet Can; Daglilar, Sibel; Kalkandelen, Cevriye; Balescu, Liliana-Marinela; Sasmazel, Hilal Turkoglu; Pasuk, Iuliana; Gunduz, Oguzhan
    This work evaluates the effects of manganese (Mn) doping on the morpho-structural features, mechanical performance, and in vitro biological response of beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) derived bioceramics for bone tissue engineering applications. Five different Mn doping levels (i.e., 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1 wt.%) were investigated, with the beta-TCP-based bioceramics being sintered at four temperatures (i.e., 1000, 1100, 1200, and 1300 degrees C). A densification improvement was induced when using Mn in excess of 0.05 wt.%; the densification remained stationary in the sintering temperature range of 1200 - 1300 degrees C. The structural analyses evidenced that all samples sintered at 1000 and 1100 degrees C were composed of beta-TCP as major phase and hydroxyapatite (HA) as a minor constituent (similar to 4-6 wt.%). At the higher temperatures (1200 and 1300 degrees C), the formation of alpha-TCP was signalled at the expense of both beta-TCP and HA. The Mn doping was evidenced by lattice parameters changes. The evolution of the phase weights is linked to a complex inter-play between the capacity of the compounds to incorporate Mn and the thermal decomposition kinetics. The Mn doping induced a reduction in the mechanical performance (in terms of compressive strength, Vickers hardness and elastic modulus) of the beta-TCP-based ceramics. The metabolic activity and viability of osteoblastic cells (MC3T3-E1) for the ceramics were studied in both powder and compacted pellet form. Ceramics with Mn doping levels lower than 0.1 wt.% yielded a more favorable microenvironment for the osteoblast cells with respect to the undoped beta-TCP. No cytotoxic effects were recorded up to 21 days. The Mn-doped beta-TCPs showed a significant increase (p < 0.01) in alkaline phosphatase activity with respect to pure beta-TCP.