Project description
Smarter mechanical testing for soft materials and tissues
Accurately measuring the mechanical properties of soft materials and biological tissues is crucial for regenerative medicine, tissue diagnostics, drug delivery and bioinspired material design. Traditional testing methods require specialised labs and expertise. They are also slow, costly and they risk damaging delicate samples. With this in mind, the ERC-funded MAGMATED project will develop an intelligent, portable platform that combines magneto-active polymers with magnetic actuation. It will gently deform samples under realistic conditions. Advanced computational models then map stiffness and viscoelastic properties across the material quickly and precisely. The overall aim is to advance bioinspired material design and develop diagnostic tools that detect pathological mechanical changes.
Objective
Natural hydrogels and bioinspired soft materials are changing paradigms in regenerative medicine, drug delivery, microfluidics and
soft robotics applications. Their use requires a comprehensive mechanical characterisation over time that is currently limited by the
need of several and costly experimental setups. These equipment faces difficulties for imposing hydrating and thermal conditions,
and for gripping samples during testing without damaging them or introducing undesirable stress concentrations that compromise
the validity of the results. Another research area that faces the same issues and limitations is the mechanical testing of ex vivo tissue
for diagnosis. MAGMATED platform will comprise an intelligent system and integrated data-driven method to mechanically
characterise soft materials and biological tissues, providing a fast spatial distribution of apparent stiffness and viscoelastic properties.
It builds on our results on magneto-active polymers (MAP) and magnetic actuation control to induce deformation under realistic in
vitro conditions. The platform will integrate MAPs as sample holders with a computational framework combining data-driven and
physical models to determine the spatial distribution of mechanical properties, from recorded deformation images. Multiple force
combinations on the sample, along with inverse engineering approaches, will enable a comprehensive and accurate spatial
characterization surpassing existing methods. MAGMATED has the potential to significantly reduce testing times and costs for
mechanical characterisation of soft biological materials and tissues, providing a portable platform that does not require extensive
user’s expertise. We expect a profound impact on testing and design protocols in bioinspired scaffolds, regenerative medicine or
diagnosis. The simplified and cost-effective system will also broaden access to mechanical testing across diverse facilities, eliminating
the need for dedicated laboratory space.
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
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering robotics
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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)
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-2025-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.
28903 Getafe (Madrid)
Spain
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.