The Lamar University Electronic Journal of Student Research

Summer 2007

Dr. Izabella Rajzer

Faculty of Material Science and Ceramics
AGH University of Science and Technology
Cracow, Poland

Kimberly Grantham Griffith, PhD

Associate Professor and Faculty Mentor
Lamar University
Department of Professional Pedagogy
College of Education and Human Development

William Allan Kritsonis, PhD

Professor and Faculty Mentor
PhD Program in Educational Leadership
Prairie View A&M University
Member of the Texas A&M University System
Visiting Lecturer (2005)
Oxford Round Table
University of Oxford, Oxford, England
Distinguished Alumnus (2004)
Central Washington University
College of Education and Professional Studies
Ellensburg, Washington

ABSTRACT

This is a brief summary of a doctoral dissertation for the degree of Doctor of

Engineering. The date of the dissertation defence was 6 October 2006. The degree was
granted by the Faculty of Material Science and Ceramics, AGH University of Science
and Technology, Cracow, Poland.
Note: Special note of gratitude to Dr. Kimberly Grantham Griffith and Dr.
William Allan Kritsonis for their assistance in getting the summary published in
the United States of America. See: www.nationalforum.com
___________________________________________________________________________
Dissertation Title: Investigations into the use of fibrous carbon-based
materials as scaffold for tissue engineering by Izabella Rajzer
The aim of the work was to investigate carbon fibrous materials as scaffold for tissue
regeneration. By using carbon fibrous materials modification with new nanotechnology
methods we can obtain fibers with specific biological properties.

The work consisted of two parts. The first one was related to the designing and
preparation of carbon fibrous materials. The effect of their chemical and physical
modifications is presented. Composite carbon fibers were obtained by the temperature
treatment of the nanocomposites organic fibers precursor. By combining PAN
(polyacrylonitrile) fibers with active ceramic fillers, new original materials for scaffold
applications can be manufactured. The second group of materials were prepared in the form
of three dimensional fibrous structures made from fibers differing in diameters and porosity
(micro- and nano- pores). These materials constituted a 3D scaffold containing fibrous
components mimiting the structure brought about by natural tissue.

The second part of thesis described the biological results of the obtained materials.
Composite carbon fibers and porous carbon fibers were examined in the in vitro and in vivo
studies. Cytotoxicity was determined according to ISO 10 993 standards, with the use of
the human lung adenocarcinoma cells line A549. Material biocompatibility was determined
by culturing human osteoblast-like cells of the line MG63 in contact with composite
materials. Moreover, selected materials were examined in the vivo study. Samples prepared
in the form of slides were examined by means of a set of histological and histochemical
methods. To estimate the effect of the implants on the metabolic state of surrounding
tissues, the activities of the following metabolic marker enzymes were examined:
cytochrome c oxidase, NADH dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. A
study of the degradation product of carbon materials was also made.

The proposed method of modification of carbon fibres described in this thesis allows us to
obtain new materials with desired biological properties. The biological study provides us
with new information about cell - carbon material interfacing.

See: www.nationalforum.com