Project description DEENESFRITPL Novel biomimetic prosthetics The enthesis is the connective tissue between the tendon or ligament and bone, and it is difficult to recapitulate its unique structure in prosthetics. Funded by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) programme, the 3NTHESES project proposes to produce a novel scaffold that mimics the morphology and mechanical properties of the enthesis tissue, the bone and the tendon. Researchers will develop an innovative additive manufacturing approach using detailed morphological and mechanical information from the native tissues to produce the scaffolds. The scaffolds obtained in this way will be seeded with stem cells and subjected to biological and biomechanical tests. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective 3NTHESES will bring together innovative additive manufacturing (AM) and electrospinning (ES) biofabrication strategies, to produce a new generation of multi-layer hierarchical multi-material scaffolds (MLHMMS) able to faithfully mimic the multiscale morphology and the mechanical performances of the enthesis tissue. MLHMMS will be designed to drive the stem cells fate. Starting from the morphological study of an animal model, several imaging techniques will be used to acquire and measure all the morphological features of the tendon, the fibrocartilage and the bone tissue. The bone images will be used to produce bone-inspired AM mineralized scaffolds that will be directly printed on ES hierarchical nanofibrous tendon-inspired partially mineralized scaffolds, reproducing the whole enthesis. The mechanical performances of the MLHMMS will be compared with the natural tissue using mechanical tests matched with imaging strain analysis. The optimized MLHMMS, will be seeded with stem cells in comparative static and dynamic cultures in bioreactor following their proliferation, differentiation in tenocyte, fibrochondrocytes, osteocytes and the production of different biological markers, using imaging and biological characterizations. Finally, the cellularized constructs will be mechanically compared with the natural tissue using biomechanical tests. The applicant (Dr. Alberto Sensini) is a research fellow in biofabrication and biomechanics. He will apply the tendon-inspired ES hierarchical scaffold, developed during his Ph.D. and his imaging/biomechanical skills to enhance the biomimicry of these constructs. Moreover, thanks to the supervision, mentoring and training activities provided by the host organization (Maastricht University) on bone AM, stem cells cultures and biological characterizations, he will complete his interdisciplinary biofabrication expert profile. Fields of science engineering and technologyenvironmental biotechnologybioremediationbioreactorsmedical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cellsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiophysicsengineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringadditive manufacturing Keywords Enthesis Regeneration Additive Manufacturing Electrospinning Stem Cells Differentiation Bioreactors Biological Characterizations High-Resolution X-Ray Tomography Biomechanical Tests Programme(s) HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme Topic(s) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01-01 - MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 Call for proposal HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships Coordinator UNIVERSITEIT MAASTRICHT Net EU contribution € 187 624,32 Address MINDERBROEDERSBERG 4 6200 MD Maastricht Netherlands See on map Region Zuid-Nederland Limburg (NL) Zuid-Limburg Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost No data
