Paper Title
Ceramic-Polymer Composites as Active Substances Carriers

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to present ceramic-polymer composite materials intended for regenerative medicine applications that can be applied as carriers for various active substances. The proposed materials can be obtained with a fast and facile route via the photo-crosslinking method. The combination of bioactive calcium phosphates and polymers of natural and synthetic origin may provide favorable conditions for the regeneration of damaged tissues. Moreover, a porous and three-dimensional structure of such materials can provide an appropriate environment for tissue ingrowth and vascularization. In this study, we are focused on the preparation of composites based on biocompatible synthetic polymers e.g. polyvinylpyrrolidone, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, and polymers of natural origin. As a bioactive component of materials hydroxyapatite is used. Ceramic-polymer composite materials prepared by photo-polymerization can be also easily modified with various active substances including antibiotics, flavonoids, and nanoparticles. Moreover, due to their ability to sorption they can also gradually release these substances to the specific site of tissue damage or infection acting as a targeted drug delivery systems (DDSs). Additionally, kinetic of the release of active agents from the structure of materials can be controlled by adjusting their composition which provide prolonged releasing of substances. In conclusion, ceramic-polymer composites can provide innovative solutions for regenerative medicine supporting tissue regeneration and also act as drug delivery systems with controlled active substance release. Acknowledgement: The “Multifunctional biologically active composites for applications in bone regenerative medicine” project is carried out within the TEAM-NET program of the Foundation for Polish Science financed by the European Union under the European Regional Development Fund. This research was funded by Foundation for Polish Science, grant number POIR.04.04.00-00-16D7/18. Keywords - Composites, Active Substances, Regenerative Medicine, Calcium Phosphates.