Project description
Vascularised 3D cell culture systems
Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture grows cells in structures that better mimic real human tissues than traditional flat cell layers. This is central for faithful disease modelling and drug testing. However, creating complex, vascularised and perfusable 3D tissues remains technically challenging and unreliable with current tools. The EIC-funded Vasc-on-Demand project addresses this gap by developing easy-to-use laboratory products for generating vascularised 3D tissues. These include an all-in-one bioreactor system and ready-to-use prefabricated vessel networks with or without cells. Together, these solutions will enable robust, scalable tissue models, support drug development and reduce animal testing.
Objective
In 2020, the cell culture market was valued at $19 billion USD, with consumables comprising more than 60% of the market. The emerging 3D cell culture provides lucrative business opportunities for consumables and tissue test models, but current technology and market supply lack an easy and reliable tool for the uncomplicated creation and cultivation of vascularized and perfusable artificial 3D tissue. The current 3D cell culture consumable market offers only well plate inserts and organ-on-a-chip systems for generating 3D tissues, which are limited regarding tissue mimicry and complexity. Bioprinting, while promising, is still unreliable for reproducible vascularized tissue engineering.
The EIC Transition Proposal Vasc-on-Demand aims to fill this gap by providing three easy-to-use laboratory products for the generation and cultivation of perfusable vascularized 3D tissue:
1. BasicVasc: An all-in-one bioreactor consumable for generation and cultivation of perfusable tissue culture
2. EasyVasc: Prefabricated ready-to-use vessel channel networks without cells
3. CompleteVasc: Prefabricated matured cell-containing vascularization
EasyVasc and CompleteVasc both build on the BasicVasc technology. Therefore, BasicVasc will be advanced for high-throughput production of precisely manufactured structures to be ready for the market. The other products will be fully developed and characterized to allow improved vascularized tissue production with even more advanced and simpler ready-to-use systems. This grant will be carried out by a highly motivated team with synergistic expertise in technology, product engineering, and business development, working towards the foundation of a start-up for the commercialization of the technology. The proposed Vasc-on-Demand has the potential to simplify the development of sophisticated test models for research and pharmaceutical approaches like drug testing, leading to reduced animal trials and development costs.
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.
- engineering and technology environmental biotechnology bioremediation bioreactors
- engineering and technology other engineering and technologies microtechnology organ on a chip
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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.
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HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
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Topic(s)
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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
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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.
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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) HORIZON-EIC-2023-TRANSITION-01
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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.
97080 WURZBURG
Germany
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.