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Engineered multi-well platforms integrating biochemical and biophysical cues for the functional maturation and electrophysiological monitoring of cardiac tissue models.

Project description

In vitro platform for cardiac tissue modelling

There is a great need for cardiac tissue models to study cardiovascular diseases and test various treatments. Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of mortality globally, and drug testing in trials is often associated with adverse effects. Most existing in vitro models are complex and lack real-time functional assessment, resulting in poor robustness and scalability. Funded by the European Research Council, the EMPATIC project aims to overcome these limitations by using biochemical and biophysical stimuli to mature cardiomyocytes. The goal is to develop a versatile, user-friendly multi-well plate platform for modelling mature human cardiac tissues and monitoring their electrophysiological properties in a non-invasive manner.

Objective

Cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of mortality worldwide, making the demand for new therapies an urgent need. Additionally, unexpected cardiac adverse effects are the leading causes of discontinuation of clinical trials and withdrawal of drugs from the market. Such issues could be addressed by relevant in vitro human cardiac tissue models reproducing in vivo-like pharmacological response. However, most in vitro cardiac tissue models developed so far have been limited by complex design to enhance cardiomyocyte maturation, and poor ability to provide real-time functional assessment, making them poorly robust, reproducible, scalable and user-friendly. In EMPATIC I will overcome such limitations, through synergistic exploitation of biochemical and biophysical stimuli for cardiomyocyte phenotype maturation, studied in ERC project BIORECAR (772168). EMPATIC will provide a novel user-friendly and versatile multi-well plate platform for the in vitro modeling of mature functional human cardiac tissues and the non-invasive label-free monitoring of electrophysiological properties. EMPATIC platform will combine: (i) tailor-designed multi-well components, imparting biochemical and biophysical cues to in vitro cultured cells, and (ii) bioelectronic components enabling controlled electrical stimulation (ES) and biosensing. Collaboration with major experts in bioelectronics, cardiac regenerative medicine and electrophysiology, and companies will support EMPATIC innovation. My previous experience as coordinator of basic and applied research projects and co-founder of academic spin-off companies, and the entrepreneurship experience of 50% of EMPATIC team will support the process of technology development and validation.

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) ERC-2023-POC

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Host institution

POLITECNICO DI TORINO
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 150 000,00
Address
CORSO DUCA DEGLI ABRUZZI 24
10129 Torino
Italy

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Region
Nord-Ovest Piemonte Torino
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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Beneficiaries (1)

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