Epithelial cell sheets as engineering materials: mechanics, resilience and malleability

Información del proyecto

EpiMech

Identificador del acuerdo de subvención: 681434

DOI

10.3030/681434

Proyecto cerrado

Fecha de la firma de la CE 27 Mayo 2016

Fecha de inicio 1 Septiembre 2016

Fecha de finalización 31 Agosto 2022

Financiado con arreglo a

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)

Coste total

€ 1 989 875,00

Aportación de la UE

€ 1 989 875,00

Coordinado por

UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 4 - EpiMech (Epithelial cell sheets as engineering materials: mechanics, resilience and malleability)

Período documentado: 2021-03-01 hasta 2022-08-31

Resumen del contexto y de los objetivos generales del proyecto

Epithelial tissues are cohesive layers of cells, which line free and internal surfaces in our body and perform crucial tasks such as protecting us against pathogens or desiccation, absorbing nutrients, secreting substances, or shaping a developing embryo. These living materials can thus perform multiple functions. They are subjected to enormous deformations, which they must withstand, and at the same time they need to be malleable to remodel when healing wounds or developing 3D structures. The premise of the project is that, if quantitatively understood and controlled, epithelial tissues could serve as living multifunctional engineering materials, capable of out-performing artificial counterparts in multiple applications. The goal of the project is to develop a quantitative understanding of how the rules that govern the behaviour of these living materials, and to use it to manipulate their shape and mechanical properties in such a way that their function can be optimized. This project will provide the background for new bionic technologies combining biological and artificial materials, to be applied in biomedicine or in other fields.

Trabajo realizado desde el comienzo del proyecto hasta el final del período abarcado por el informe y los principales resultados hasta la fecha

Towards the goals of the project, an interdisciplinary team has developed new methods to measure the forces within epithelial tissues, to control their shape in 3D in vitro, and new theoretical and computational models to understand and predict the dynamics and mechanics of cells and tissues.

Avances que van más allá del estado de la técnica e impacto potencial esperado (incluida la repercusión socioeconómica y las implicaciones sociales más amplias del proyecto hasta la fecha)

Our project is identifying new rational, theory-based, strategies to manipulate epithelial tissues in vitro and control their shape in 3D, which will change the way we view these systems. In particular, our results will enable their use as engineering materials in bionic materials and devices.

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