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A combined developmental cell biology and tissue engineering approach to repair the articular surface of synovial joints

Project description

Insight into cartilage cell development offers clues for repair

Articular cartilage damage due to trauma is common and can be debilitating. However, repair options are limited as our understanding of articular cartilage development and maintenance is incomplete. Scientists of the EU-funded ReSurface project are working on the molecular mechanisms that control articular cartilage cell development and maintenance. The idea is to identify the transcriptional programmes that govern specific cell identity and activity during development, to inform the ideal cell source for repair in adults. Through a combination of developmental and molecular cell biology with advanced engineering techniques, researchers plan to develop a safe strategy for delivering appropriate cells to the site of articular cartilage defects to promote in situ regeneration.

Objective

Repair of articular cartilage defects remains a significant clinical challenge due to gaps in our knowledge of articular cartilage development and maintenance in adulthood. This creates a lack of consensus on the ideal cell source for cell-based repair strategies and suitable methods of delivery. The overall goal of ReSurface is to develop a cell therapy platform for articular cartilage defect repair. This will be achieved by unravelling the molecular mechanisms controlling articular cartilage cell development and maintenance, generation of a panel of molecular parameters defining populations of cells that are safe and suitable for articular cartilage repair, and development of a minimally invasive method to deliver cells to the defect site. This project is highly multidisciplinary and intersectoral combining fundamental developmental and molecular cell biology with advanced engineering techniques and including significant industry and clinical collaboration throughout. This fellowship will have an outgoing phase at Dr April Craft’s Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH), affiliated with Harvard Medical School (HMS) and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), and a return phase to Prof Garry Duffy’s Lab at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) which is part of the Science Foundation Ireland funded Centre for Research in Medical Devices (CÚRAM). Clinical collaborators will include BCH, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, University College Hospital Galway (UCHG) and the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at NUIG while industry collaborators include Boston Scientific Limited (BSL). Having recently completed my PhD in biomaterials development, this project will diversify my professional competencies through advanced training with intersectoral and international collaborations and provide me with the scientific and transferable skills required for my transition to an independent scientist role.

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2017

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 248 063,40
Address
UNIVERSITY ROAD
H91 Galway
Ireland

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Region
Ireland Northern and Western West
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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.

€ 248 063,40

Partners (1)

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