Descrizione del progetto
Rallentare gli effetti dell’artrosi
L’artrosi, una malattia delle articolazioni che comporta la degenerazione della cartilagine articolare e dell’osso sottostante, è la più comune causa di dolore e disabilità in persone di mezza età e anziani. L’obiettivo del progetto ADMAIORA, finanziato dall’UE, è aiutare le persone affette da artrosi a condurre uno stile di vita sano e attivo rallentando o prevenendo il processo degenerativo. Il consorzio sta sviluppando idrogel biosintetici con nanoparticelle piezoelettriche sensibili alla stimolazione a ultrasuoni in modalità wireless e da remoto. Gli idrogel conterranno cellule staminali caratterizzate da proprietà antinfiammatorie e rigenerative e verranno distribuiti in situ grazie all’impiego di un’innovativa biostampante 3D portatile. Sonde a ultrasuoni progettate su misura consentiranno di effettuare il monitoraggio dello stato delle articolazioni e la stimolazione del biomateriale piezoelettrico impiantato, in modo da ottimizzare la rigenerazione della cartilagine.
Obiettivo
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major burden that affects ~ 40 million of EU citizens, with enormous direct and indirect costs for the European healthcare systems, quantified in ~ 50.4 billion euros per year. This disease involves the degeneration of cartilage and other joint structures and is one of the most common causes of pain and disability in middle-aged and elderly people. ADMAIORA aims in the long-term at increasing the healthy and active lifespan of people affected by OA, by considerably slowing down or even stopping the degeneration process, thus delaying or avoiding surgical interventions for total joint replacement. Within the project time-frame the target is to achieve a 60% reduction of degeneration in OA animal models treated with the ADMAIORA technologies, with respect to control (untreated) ones, after 4 weeks, and a 90% reduction after 3 months. To achieve this ambitious objective the Consortium will evolve and merge technologies that already showed a high potential as experimental proof of concepts (TRL = 3) and will bring them at a preclinical level (TRL = 5). The ADMAIORA Consortium will develop biosynthetic hydrogels embedded with carbon-based nanomaterials, conferring higher mechanical and lubrication properties, and piezoelectric nanoparticles enabling responsivity to remote wireless ultrasound waves. Stem cells derived from autologous adipose tissue, which already demonstrated anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties, will be entrapped in the hydrogels. Materials and cells will be delivered in situ through an innovative handheld 3D bioprinter, embedded in an arthroscopic tool. A custom brace will be designed and equipped with ultrasound probes for both monitoring the joint status and stimulating the implanted piezoelectric nanobiomaterial. A dedicated App will allow a direct connection between patient and physician in an Internet of Things framework. Overall, ADMAIORA will target a ground-breaking paradigm that may revolutionize OA treatment.
Campo scientifico
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cells
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinesurgerysurgical procedures
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectrical engineeringpiezoelectrics
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringnanocomposites
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesacousticsultrasound
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Invito a presentare proposte
Vedi altri progetti per questo bandoBando secondario
H2020-NMBP-TR-IND-2018
Meccanismo di finanziamento
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinatore
56127 Pisa
Italia