Project description
Advanced materials for osteoarthritis treatment
Patients with osteoarthritis (OA) suffer from cartilage damage in the joints. Over the years treatment has advanced to include hydrogels that serve as scaffolds for tissue regeneration. The scope of the EU-funded ChondroGEL project is to address the technical challenges associated with the construction of hydrogels with tuneable properties. Researchers propose a novel protein cross-linking approach that ensures protein retention and function following implantation of hydrogels in joints. ChondroGEL will ensure controlled cellular differentiation and even protein distribution throughout the implant, offering the necessary mechanical support of the inflamed joint.
Objective
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of joint disease that results from breakdown of cartilage and subsequent damage to the underlying bone. Polymeric biomaterials have rapidly expanded to promote cell differentiation and tissue regeneration, and are uniquely placed to provide sophisticated solutions for the treatment of OA. Among them, hydrophilic, biocompatible 3D networks, called hydrogels, represent the gold standard for tissue regeneration, owing to their high-water content and tuneable mechanical properties. However, incorporation in hydrogels of proteins and growth factors that are essential to induce tissue differentiation, is not trivial. By merging advanced hydrogel technology and cutting-edge cell biology research, we propose to develop a novel in situ protein-based crosslinked hydrogel system based on chondrogenic bioconjugates for controlled cellular differentiation. This unique approach allows for non-surgical administration of hydrogels with controlled and tuneable mechanical properties that retain their protein cargo at the treatment site. Furthermore, as the hydrogel is directly built from the required growth factors, even distribution throughout the macromaterial is ensured. This new treatment modality will allow for both short-term relief of pain through mechanical support of the inflamed joint, while providing important biological cues for the differentiation of administered stem cells into chondrocytes for cartillage repair. Furthermore, the implementation of a fluorescence life-time imaging microscopy (FLIM) approach for monitoring changes in cell behaviour will allow for rapid identification of lead materials significantly earlier in the development pipeline than is currently available through conventional methods. While this work is focused on developing hydrogels for cartilage repair, it is envisaged that the knowledge and experience gained throughout this project will allow for other therapeutic targets to be explored in the future.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences cell biology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy fluorescence lifetime imaging
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- engineering and technology industrial biotechnology biomaterials
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
B15 2TT Birmingham
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.