A window into host response, infection and biomaterial interplay

While medical implants repair bodily functions, they often provoke scarring or persistent bacterial contamination. Because standard laboratory setups fail to capture complex cellular environments, predicting how new materials act in vivo remains challenging. To address this, the thesis establishes an imaging method in mice using an abdominal window and advanced microscopy. This setup allowed real-time tracking of immune cells, collagen development, and bacteria over prolonged periods, detailing changes in cellular numbers and spatial organization during infection. The model also served to examine how implant traits, namely stiffness and hydrophobicity, alter immune reactions and infection risks.