Project description
Advances in cardiac regeneration to heal broken hearts
Heart disease remains the world’s leading killer, and damaged heart muscle cannot heal itself. With this in mind, the ERC-funded SPARE HEART project aims to change that with groundbreaking regenerative therapy. By 3D-printing thick, vascularised cardiac patches from human stem cells, researchers hope to restore damaged heart tissue, not just manage symptoms. These engineered tissues (containing beating cardiomyocytes and blood-vessel-forming cells) will be matured in custom bioreactors to ensure strength and surgical usability. The goal is proof-of-concept surgery in pigs, demonstrating real regenerative potential and pushing the technology toward clinical trials. If successful, SPARE HEART could revolutionise cardiac care, offering a lifeline to millions living with irreversible heart damage.
Objective
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world. Because the human heart has effectively no regenerative capabilities, the damage caused by cardiovascular diseases and heart attacks is both cumulative and progressive. The aim of this project is the development of regenerative tissue-engineered cardiac patches, which will revolutionize healthcare by providing patients with a treatment that seeks not to manage their symptoms, but to correct and reverse the underlying damage to the cardiac muscle. While the theory underpinning regenerative cardiac patches is not novel, reaching TRL5/6 by demonstrating proof-of-concept with 3D-printed, thick, fully vascularized, clinically relevant patches would constitute an extraordinary step forward for the field.
In this project, we propose to 3D-print thick, vascularized cardiac tissues comprised of functional cardiomyocytes and blood vessel–forming endothelial cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The tissues will be between ½ -1 cm thick and will require significant levels of vascularization. Following fabrication, tissues will be matured in custom-designed bioreactors and reinforced, rendering them strong enough to be easily handled by surgeons. We then propose to perform cardiac-regenerative surgery in a large mammal model (pigs). This study will serve as a proof-of-concept that will advance the technology from an academic setting to the biotech industry and ultimately into the clinic.
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
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine surgery
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine cardiology cardiovascular diseases
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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)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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.
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
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.
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-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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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) ERC-2024-POC
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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.
69978 Tel Aviv
Israel
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.