Project description
Innovative cell culture technology to regulate stem cells
Myocardial infarction causes millions of deaths annually. Transplanting engineered cardiac cells derived from human stem cells shows promise for repairing heart tissue. However, regulating their differentiation remains challenging due to the lack of technology capable of mimicking the dynamic environment of tissue. The ERC-funded uStemGel project aims to create a novel cell culture technology using designer microgels and nanorobotics to control stem cell differentiation. The project will encapsulate pluripotent stem cells in advanced microgels through microfluidics, adjust material properties to replicate the native tissue microenvironment, and incorporate wirelessly controlled nanoactuators to mechanically stimulate the stem cells. It will also develop rapid culture and stimulation methods to identify the optimal conditions for stem cell preparation.
Objective
Myocardial infarction continues to claim the lives of millions of people every year, and survivors are often left with severe health issues. Transplanting cardiac cells engineered from human stem cells into the injured heart is a particularly promising approach to repairing damaged cardiac tissue. Despite extensive research on stem cell-based therapies, a major limitation is effectively regulating stem cell differentiation. Mechanically training stem cells throughout culture could be solution, by exploiting their mechanosensitive nature. However, there is currently a lack of technology that can recreate the mechanically dynamic microenvironment of tissue. Therefore, I aim to develop an innovative cell culture technology, based on designer microgels and nanorobotics, which will allow control over stem cell
differentiation. To achieve this goal, I will package pluripotent stem cells in smart microgels using microfluidics. By rigorously adjusting material properties, I will ensure culture conditions that simulate the native tissue microenvironment. The smart microgels will have tunable stiffness, which I will use to improve cardiogenic differentiation in pluripotent stem cells. I will integrate wirelessly controlled nanoactuators to mechanically train stem cells to decipher the relationship between forces and stem cell differentiation. Together with my team, I will develop rapid culture and stimulation methods based on microfluidics to identify the best conditions for stem cell preparation. This multifunctional technology will contribute to achieving efficient cardiac regeneration, and has great potential to make a big impact in regenerative medicine.
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.
- natural sciences physical sciences classical mechanics fluid mechanics microfluidics
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies
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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.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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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.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG
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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.
80333 Muenchen
Germany
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