Project description
Bioinks to support multiphasic models
Bioinks are materials that hold and protect cells during bioprinting while providing a supportive extracellular environment. They must be biocompatible and mimic the extracellular matrix to enable effective cell functions. Current bioinks cannot reliably retain growth factors. However, a new class of bioinks incorporates ECM proteins, such as fibronectin and laminin, into a hydrogel matrix, thereby enhancing the printing process. The ERC-funded FACTORINK project will harness the potential of bioinks by demonstrating their ability to support multiphasic models comprising stem cells, endothelial cells, and immune system components. The findings will contribute to defining the commercial pathways for these products, ultimately leading to the development of new intellectual property.
Objective
Bioinks are materials that hold cells during bioprinting. They perform key functions, including protecting cells from high shear stress during the printing process but also, and importantly, provide the extracellular environment for cells after printing. Bioinks must be made of biocompatible materials that in addition should provide the functional environment needed for cells to perform their functions. This is critical as bioprinting underpins developments of in vitro tissue models to advance biomedical research and drug testing. The functionality of bioinks must recapitulate aspects of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and should include mechanical and biochemical considerations. For example, bioinks should result in constructs of well-defined rigidity as this influences processes such as stem cell differentiation or cancer progression. Also, bioinks must provide cells with controlled density of adhesion proteins and growth factors – this is key to induce relevant signalling pathways. Yet bioinks that are currently in the market are limited to basic adhesion peptides and lack the ability to retain growth factors that instead quickly diffuse out of the system after printing. We have recently developed a new class of bioinks that incorporate ECM proteins (like fibronectin and laminin) that are incorporated into a hydrogel matrix without crosslinking, enabling an easy and robust printing process. We want to unleash the potential of the bioinks by demonstrating their ability to hold multiphasic models containing stem cells, endothelial cells and the immune system. The data gathered through this application should help define the commercial route of the products and would lead to creating new intellectual properties.
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 biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
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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)
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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
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.
08028 Barcelona
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.