Description du projet
Métamorphose programmable d’organes bio-imprimés
Au cours du développement, les organes subissent des transformations dynamiques de leur forme, déclenchées par des forces telles que l’augmentation volumétrique des tissus, avant d’atteindre leur forme, leur composition et leur fonction définitives. Cependant, les méthodes actuelles de bio-impression d’organes sont incapables de prendre en charge les changements de forme morphogénétiques en raison de l’utilisation d’hydrogels statiques. Financé par le Conseil européen de la recherche, le projet morphoPRINT a pour ambition de mettre en place une plateforme d’hydrogel dynamique capable de réguler de manière spatiale l’augmentation volumétrique des tissus bio-imprimés afin de permettre une métamorphose programmable. Dans un premier temps, il créera des hydrogels innovants qui peuvent être activés spatialement à la demande pour soutenir ou résister à l’augmentation volumétrique. morphoPRINT étudiera ensuite les principes de la métamorphose par le biais de la plateforme, utilisant les résultats obtenus pour concevoir des tubes cardiaques bio-imprimés qui connaissent des changements de forme inspirés par le processus de développement.
Objectif
During embryonic development, organs emerge through highly dynamic processes driven by complex shape-transformations that sculpt their final shape, composition, and function. Despite this, existing approaches to organ bioprinting employ static hydrogels that are not capable of supporting morphogenetic shape changes. Further, we lack an understanding of how key morphogenetic forces such as volumetric tissue growth can be leveraged to re-engineer fundamental tissue shape-morphing behaviours such as bending, buckling, bulging, or twisting. These are major barriers preventing the design of bioprinted tissues that undergo shape-transformations essential for their evolution into a functional final form. Recognising this, the goal of morphoPRINT is to develop a dynamic hydrogel platform that can spatially turn “on” or “off” volumetric growth in bioprinted tissues to direct 4D shape-morphing, and to use this platform to re-engineer morphogenetic shape changes that sculpt the tissue into a more mature form. To realise this goal, we propose ground-breaking technological advances to create hydrogels with independent networks of 1) supramolecular crosslinks that support volumetric growth and 2) photoresponsive covalent crosslinks that can be spatially activated to resist volumetric growth. We will use this platform to explore how spatial patterns of volumetric growth can drive tissue bending, buckling, and bulging, which will lead to a new conceptual understanding of the physical principles that drive tissue shape-morphing. We will then apply these principles towards the design of bioprinted heart tubes that undergo embryonic-like looping into an early 4-chamber structure. morphoPRINT will enable, for the first time, bioprinted organs that undergo programmable shape-morphing. This will set the stage for a new horizon in organ-engineering research focused on recapitulating physical aspects of morphogenesis rather than just the end-stage geometrical structure of the organ.
Champ scientifique
Mots‑clés
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Thème(s)
Régime de financement
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsInstitution d’accueil
H91 Galway
Irlande