Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RECoil3D (Dynamic coil-shaped polylactic acid-reinforced extracellular matrix-derived scaffold with oriented pores for articular cartilage tissue engineering)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2023-04-01 do 2025-07-31
Articular cartilage (AC) injuries, particularly those that extend into the subchondral bone creating osteochondral (OC) defects, present a serious and growing clinical challenge. These defects are notoriously difficult to repair due to the limited intrinsic regenerative capacity of cartilage. If left unresolved, they often progress into osteoarthritis (OA), the most common musculoskeletal disease worldwide. OA currently affects approximately 10% of the global population and imposes a considerable socioeconomic burden. In Europe alone, the annual cost per patient is estimated to exceed €10,000, with figures expected to rise due to an aging and increasingly active population. Present-day treatments for advanced OA rely almost exclusively on joint replacement prostheses. While effective in relieving pain and restoring function, these interventions are invasive, costly, have finite durability, and are not ideal for younger patients.
In this context, there is an urgent need for innovative, regenerative strategies that go beyond palliative approaches and aim to restore native tissue architecture and function. The RECoil3D project is conceived as a response to this challenge. Its main objective is to develop a next-generation, dynamic, load-bearing implant for the repair of articular cartilage defects. The core innovation lies in the integration of a collagen rich scaffold (containing a defined porous microarchitecture) with a coil-shaped polylactic acid (PLA) structure fabricated with 3D printing techniques. This biohybrid construct is designed to provide both the biological cues necessary for tissue regeneration and the mechanical dynamism required to withstand joint loading.
The expected impact of the RECoil3D project extends across scientific, societal, and economic domains. Scientifically, it will contribute to advancing the fields of biomaterials and tissue engineering by providing a novel platform for cartilage repair that bridges biological complexity and mechanical functionality. The anticipated outcomes include high-quality publications, conference presentations, and collaborations that strengthen the European research ecosystem. From a societal perspective, successful development of this technology could ultimately lead to therapies that restore joint function, delay or eliminate the need for prosthetic replacement, and significantly improve quality of life for millions of OA patients. Economically, the project has the potential to reduce long-term healthcare expenditures and to seed new opportunities for innovation and commercialization in the biomedical sector.
The project also aligns closely with the strategic objectives of Horizon Europe and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). It supports the development of sustainable healthcare technologies, promotes international and intersectoral mobility, and reinforces the European Research Area’s commitment to tackling non-communicable diseases. Hosted by the IMDEA Materials Institute, a leader in advanced materials and biomedical engineering, the project benefits from a strong network of academic and industrial collaborators, ensuring that scientific discoveries are effectively translated toward real-world applications. In summary, RECoil3D is an ambitious yet targeted project that addresses a clearly defined clinical and societal need through an innovative, multidisciplinary approach. By combining cutting-edge bioengineering with a deep commitment to societal relevance and ethical responsibility, the project is well positioned to deliver meaningful impact and to contribute to Europe’s leadership in regenerative medicine.
In this context, there is an urgent need for innovative, regenerative strategies that go beyond palliative approaches and aim to restore native tissue architecture and function. The RECoil3D project is conceived as a response to this challenge. Its main objective is to develop a next-generation, dynamic, load-bearing implant for the repair of articular cartilage defects. The core innovation lies in the integration of a collagen rich scaffold (containing a defined porous microarchitecture) with a coil-shaped polylactic acid (PLA) structure fabricated with 3D printing techniques. This biohybrid construct is designed to provide both the biological cues necessary for tissue regeneration and the mechanical dynamism required to withstand joint loading.
The expected impact of the RECoil3D project extends across scientific, societal, and economic domains. Scientifically, it will contribute to advancing the fields of biomaterials and tissue engineering by providing a novel platform for cartilage repair that bridges biological complexity and mechanical functionality. The anticipated outcomes include high-quality publications, conference presentations, and collaborations that strengthen the European research ecosystem. From a societal perspective, successful development of this technology could ultimately lead to therapies that restore joint function, delay or eliminate the need for prosthetic replacement, and significantly improve quality of life for millions of OA patients. Economically, the project has the potential to reduce long-term healthcare expenditures and to seed new opportunities for innovation and commercialization in the biomedical sector.
The project also aligns closely with the strategic objectives of Horizon Europe and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). It supports the development of sustainable healthcare technologies, promotes international and intersectoral mobility, and reinforces the European Research Area’s commitment to tackling non-communicable diseases. Hosted by the IMDEA Materials Institute, a leader in advanced materials and biomedical engineering, the project benefits from a strong network of academic and industrial collaborators, ensuring that scientific discoveries are effectively translated toward real-world applications. In summary, RECoil3D is an ambitious yet targeted project that addresses a clearly defined clinical and societal need through an innovative, multidisciplinary approach. By combining cutting-edge bioengineering with a deep commitment to societal relevance and ethical responsibility, the project is well positioned to deliver meaningful impact and to contribute to Europe’s leadership in regenerative medicine.
The RECoil3D project investigated a novel strategy for cartilage tissue engineering by integrating biologically active extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived scaffolds with mechanically compliant, 3D-printed spring-shaped reinforcements made of polylactic acid (PLA).
To facilitate this work, a collaboration was established with IdiPaz Hospital in Madrid to obtain porcine cartilage tissue. The cartilage was then decellularized following a patented protocol and processed into a porous, anisotropic ECM scaffold using a freeze-drying technique that preserved its biochemical composition.
In parallel, a coil-shaped spring structure was designed and manufactured using fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing, with PLA selected for its biodegradability and mechanical tunability. This part of the project involved a collaboration with Prof. Andrés Díaz Lantada from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). Together, a geometry suitable for the intended application was defined. The spring design was optimized to enhance compressive compliance and enable shape recovery during cyclic loading, mimicking key mechanical functions of native cartilage. Four structural variants, differing in the number of helices, were evaluated through computational simulations and compression testing to characterize their mechanical performance.
Subsequently, the PLA coil reinforcement was integrated with the ECM scaffold. Custom moulds were fabricated to accommodate the PLA structures and optimize freezing conditions prior to freeze-drying the combined implant. Stem cells were used to assess both biocompatibility and chondrogenic potential. The hybrid scaffolds supported the attachment, viability, and metabolic activity of human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs). Cells adhered to ECM regions within the construct and exhibited signs of chondrogenic differentiation in vitro. These findings confirmed that the ECM maintained its bioactivity and that incorporation of the 3D-printed reinforcement did not hinder the cellular response.
To facilitate this work, a collaboration was established with IdiPaz Hospital in Madrid to obtain porcine cartilage tissue. The cartilage was then decellularized following a patented protocol and processed into a porous, anisotropic ECM scaffold using a freeze-drying technique that preserved its biochemical composition.
In parallel, a coil-shaped spring structure was designed and manufactured using fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing, with PLA selected for its biodegradability and mechanical tunability. This part of the project involved a collaboration with Prof. Andrés Díaz Lantada from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). Together, a geometry suitable for the intended application was defined. The spring design was optimized to enhance compressive compliance and enable shape recovery during cyclic loading, mimicking key mechanical functions of native cartilage. Four structural variants, differing in the number of helices, were evaluated through computational simulations and compression testing to characterize their mechanical performance.
Subsequently, the PLA coil reinforcement was integrated with the ECM scaffold. Custom moulds were fabricated to accommodate the PLA structures and optimize freezing conditions prior to freeze-drying the combined implant. Stem cells were used to assess both biocompatibility and chondrogenic potential. The hybrid scaffolds supported the attachment, viability, and metabolic activity of human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs). Cells adhered to ECM regions within the construct and exhibited signs of chondrogenic differentiation in vitro. These findings confirmed that the ECM maintained its bioactivity and that incorporation of the 3D-printed reinforcement did not hinder the cellular response.
A key achievement of the project was the demonstration that combining biomimetic biochemical cues (via the ECM) with engineered mechanical reinforcement (via the 3D-printed spring) can yield a construct that simultaneously addresses two major limitations in cartilage repair strategies: biological integration and load-bearing mechanical elasticity. The compliant spring geometry was particularly successful in preserving function under repeated compression, a performance attribute rarely achieved in ECM-based systems alone.
This work lays foundational knowledge for future in vitro and in vivo studies and represents a promising step toward the development of clinically relevant, load-bearing implants for articular cartilage regeneration. It also demonstrates the feasibility of integrating additive manufacturing, simulations and biological scaffolding in a synergistic way—an approach with broader implications for regenerative medicine and biofabrication.
This work lays foundational knowledge for future in vitro and in vivo studies and represents a promising step toward the development of clinically relevant, load-bearing implants for articular cartilage regeneration. It also demonstrates the feasibility of integrating additive manufacturing, simulations and biological scaffolding in a synergistic way—an approach with broader implications for regenerative medicine and biofabrication.