In the joint project HOGEMA, hydrostatic high-pressure technology (Hydrostatische Hochdrucktechnologie, HHD) is to be optimized and utilized to reprocess both supporting tissue (bone, cartilage) and connective tissue (fascia) and to produce allografts and tissue modeling systems that allow the treatment of tissue defects with allogeneic graft tissue.

In combination with the HHD, the washing chamber addresses the current deficit of a standardized allograft treatment which is also less time-intensive and avoids the use of chemically aggressive media.

While the hydrostatic high-pressure technology devitalizes the tissue quickly and gently, without negatively affecting the structural properties, the Chair of Microfluidics (LFM) at the University of Rostock and the IPT Wismar develop a novel, partially automated, gentle, reproducible and time-saving washing chamber to clean HHD-treated allografts of tissue residues (blood, connective tissue remnants, bone marrow, muscular tissue as well as cell debris) and prevent microbiological contamination.

Therefore, test benches for selected mechanical cleaning principles are developed by the LFM and new scientific findings on optimal performance parameters are developed. The LFM will be supported by the clinical partners who provide allograft samples and contribute their expertise (e.g., histological staining) for evaluation.

Using state-of-the-art manufacturing methods (e.g. additive manufacturing), functional models for a washing chamber based on the selected mechanical cleaning principles are built and provided to the partners during the project. In addition, a test environment for these functional models will be established, which will allow the validation of technical operating parameters as well as the use of allograft samples.

After the processing using the HHD together with the developed washing chamber the tissues are to be extensively characterized in cell culture as well as in animal experimental studies in order to test the feasibility for later clinical application. In addition, the project aims to provide devitalized tissue for the development and establishment of physiologically-similar model systems, which can then be used instead of animal models for many questions in basic research.