Early activity set the foundations for the project. A proactive dissemination programme was started at an early stage, with the website www.hymedpoly.eu reporting on network activities and achievements.
A standard recruitment approach was followed by the project partners for both advertising and interviewing of candidates and all fifteen ESR positions were filled.
The ESRs made excellent progress in their chosen topics with active communication between the host universities and the industrial/clinical partners. Eleven researchers developed new polymers, ceramics and bioactive glasses that showed the ability to act as active agents to prevent or eradicate bacterial infections. Two investigated in-vitro bio-evaluation of antimicrobial materials with a focus on wound dressings, whilst a further two used computer-modelling and digital manufacturing to create structures and surfaces to maximise the antimicrobial effectiveness of the novel materials and products developed.
At the end of this project, HyMedPoly has developed novel solutions that will help to place the EU as a world leader in therapeutic hybrid biomaterials for antibacterial applications:
- Three different novel biomaterials with improved antibacterial efficacy.
o Multiblock polyurethanes (TPU’s) containing antibacterial moieties.
o Biodegradable and bioresorbable polyesters (BBPE) and composites that create local environments to prevent bacterial growth.
o Natural polymers (Polyhydroxyalkanoates) to inhibit bacterial growth in the local environment as they degrade or are modified to incorporate Antimicrobial peptides
(AMP’s) and/or enzymes to inhibit bacterial growth and disrupt biofilms.
- Novel bioceramics based on modified hydroxyapatites and bioactive glasses made from silicates and phosphates which work by releasing charged ions to enhance the antibacterial effectiveness.
- 3D printing approaches using Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) techniques to construct functionally graded scaffolds and novel structures with potential to enhance biological response.
- 13 Innovative medical product demonstrators which use the polymers and inorganic materials developed for wound dressing, sutures and orthopaedic devices.
At project conclusion the beneficiaries are keen to exploit the results obtained in HyMedPoly. All are looking to build future joint research collaborations and continue with product development and are talking with potential new partners from both the biomedical sector and wider industry where antibacterial materials would bring benefit. There are also plans to employ some of the researchers to assist with these initiatives and benefit from their experience of working on HyMedPoly.
As the project progressed HyMedPoly increasingly raised public and industry awareness of the benefits from using antibacterial biomaterials through presentations, posters and publications with six papers published in refereed scientific journals with many further being written at the project conclusion.
In parallel with research projects, HyMedPoly organised a series of six workshops and summer schools, a special session at a leading European conference, The European Society of Biomaterials 2018, and an international conference organised by HyMedPoly. The events introduced the scientific, clinical and regulatory themes around antibacterial materials and medical devices to the ESRs and a wider audience. Run at the partners’ sites throughout Europe, the meetings attracted over 380 delegates.
A programme of four industry training sessions targeted at the ESRs’ developed soft skills such as approaches to effectively managing research and development projects, technology exploitation and effective public communication of scientific concepts.
