Project description
Merging space innovation with terrestrial health research
In the realm of biofabrication, the challenges of replicating complex tissues persist on Earth. Microgravity, however, offers a solution, allowing bioprinting with more fluidic channels and intricate geometries. With this in mind, the EIC-funded PULSE project aims to leverage space conditions for revolutionary advancements in biobioprinting technology and ageing research. PULSE aims to revolutionise bioprinting with a novel scaffold-free, label-free, and nozzle-free technology based on multiple levitation principles. The project leverages microgravity conditions to accelerate ageing studies on Earth, using 3D bioprinted cardiac models as a proof of concept. These models promise to mimic cardiac physiology, providing invaluable insights into ageing and enabling the testing of potential anti-ageing drugs, merging space innovation with terrestrial health research.
Objective
Bioprinting in Space is one of the novel promising and perspective research directions in the rapidly emerging field of biofabrication. There are several advantages of bioprinting in Space. First, under the conditions of microgravity, it is possible to bioprint constructs employing more fluidic channels and, thus, more biocompatible bio-inks. Second, microgravity conditions enable 3D bioprinting of tissue and organ constructs of more complex geometries with voids, cavities, and tunnels. Third, a novel scaffold-free, label-free, and nozzle-free technology based on multi-levitation principles can be implemented under the condition of microgravity. The ideal Space bioprinters must be safe, automated, compact, and user friendly. Thus, there are no doubts that systematic exploration of 3D bioprinting in Space will advance biofabrication and bioprinting technology per se. Vice versa 3D bioprinted tissues could be used to study pathophysiological biological phenomena when exposed to microgravity and cosmic radiation that will be useful on Earth to understand ageing conditioning of tissues, and in space for the crew of deep space manned missions. In PULSE, we aim at developing a radical new bioprinting technology based on multiple levitation principles and to use Space as an accelerator of ageing on Earth. As a proof of concept study, we will use this newly developed bioprinting technology to create cardiac 3D in vitro models able to better mimic cardiac physiology compared to organoids. We will use such models to study cardiac ageing and test the efficacy of antiinflammatory/ anti-oxidative drugs with anti-ageing potential.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC GrantsCoordinator
6200 MD Maastricht
Netherlands