Manufacturing, Characterization and Modeling of Helical Electrospun Fibers for Cardiac Tissue Engineering

Cardiovascular disease is a predicament that affects the entire world. Complications arise due to inadequate blood supplied to the heart muscle, which leads to scar tissue formation and ventricular dilation. One of the proven methods to promote cellular regeneration is the implantation of seeded scaffolds using stem cell therapy. Electrospinning has been selected to manufacture scaffolds due to the providing a suitable structure to promote cultivation of cells. Each application requires a set of criteria to be met in a seeded scaffold. In cardiac applications, the mechanical properties and matrix structure need to align with the native tissue.

In this thesis, the optimal process parameters to attain electrospun helical fibers are determined. Secondly, the material behaviors of helical scaffolds are examined under different loading schemes. Lastly, numerical modeling for the experimental data is evaluated.