Biosynthesis, Fabrication and Evaluation of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) Biopolymer Scaffolds for Ligament and Tendon Regeneration

Abstract

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bio-copolymer which is comprised of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV). By altering the 3HV fraction in the PHBV copolymer, it is possible to obtain copolymers with distinct mechanical properties, varying from brittle to elastomeric, corresponding with increasing, from low and high, 3HV content in the copolymer. Throughout the research presented in this thesis, biopolymers were produced using the halophile Haloferax mediterranei, which is favourable due to the microorganism’s tolerance of high salinity, the straightforward biopolymer recovery process, and its capability to consume both pure and complex biomass-derived substrates. The work reported here focuses on PHBV production and application in tendon scaffolds, as well as the PHBV biosynthesis from agricultural waste. Using H. mediterranei a wide range of PHBV with varied 3HV compositions were obtained, which could be a promising material for use in tendon scaffold applications. This strain could also be an advantage in waste valorisation and biorefinery. Overall, this thesis demonstrates the process from upstream to downstream of PHBV manufacturing, through to a biomedical application by integrating interdisciplinary sciences, biochemical engineering, material science, and biomedical sciences.

Date of Award	24 May 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Peter Martin (Supervisor), James Winterburn (Supervisor) & Sarah Cartmell (Supervisor)