Molecular Design of Polymers for Biomedical Applications

Project Information

MEDIPOL

Grant agreement ID: 871650

DOI

10.3030/871650

Project closed

EC signature date 26 November 2019

Start date 1 January 2020

End date 31 December 2024

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 1 232 800,00

EU contribution

€ 1 232 800,00

Coordinated by

ASTON UNIVERSITY
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MEDIPOL (Molecular Design of Polymers for Biomedical Applications)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Molecular Design of Polymers for Biomedical Applications (MEDIPOL) is an integrated four-year programme between six partners with complementary expertise, to design and develop new materials for advanced biomedical applications, targeting soft tissues, especially the eye and skin wounds. MEDIPOL brings together experts in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Medicine, Therapeutics, Biomaterials, Formulation Science and Polymer Science to train the next generation of scientists, engineers, and leaders, taking research from ‘lab to life’ (i.e. material design to commercialisation of new treatments). The specific major problems being targeted relate to vision and mobility, increasingly critical issues in worldwide in healthcare systems that have the task of managing the socio-economic aspects of ageing populations.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Three R&I work packages focused on the overarching basis of materials, processing technology & biotechnologies. Each of the R&I work packages was structured to include three common elements, which logically take a polymer from design and creation to application in the body; (i) materials science (including chemistry/synthesis); (ii) processing (including electrospinning); & (iii) biotechnologies (including application at the target sites).

Significant progress has been made both scientifically including setting up of analytical techniques to increase capability at the Thai institutions & in terms of early-stage researcher training both for those directly involved in the project & in the wider researcher communities by using online/hybrid lectures/workshops and streaming. Members of the consortium have attended & participated in conferences to promote project outcomes. Numerous connections between secondees & the staff in the hosting institutes, including some not directly involved within the consortium project to enable future collaborations. Networking opportunities have allowed both early-stage researchers & experienced researchers to create new connections & plans are underway for the experienced researchers to continue to visit and provide expertise in 2025 & beyond. These collaborations have contributed to successful funding applications & participation in preparation of further funding applications to enable ongoing research plans.

A total of nine workshops, five summer schools & two conferences were organised during the project. The team participated in eight international conferences, which included showcases, networking & outreach events during the course of the project. Twenty cross science lectures were delivered, in hybrid format to maximise participation, with an average MEDIPOL & other researchers attendance of eighty. A total of 33 publications have been published, which is an indication of strong collaboration, technology & research interaction. Its envisaged more papers will be published due to the strong links that have been created in our project.
The consortium team promoted activities on their University websites, newsletters, social media & as part of the Chiang Mai University Hub of Talents in Bioplastics for Use in Medical Applications to further disseminate the project.

Ongoing collaborations continue based on memorandum of understandings between the Universities, joint work on Ph.D. theses of individual students which continues beyond the project end & Aston University has begun the Visiting Scholar Program at Mae Fah Luang University

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Impact
The main advantages associated with participating in MEDIPOL, many of which will continue due to ongoing interactions between the consortium, team members and others who have become part of the network created during the project, & can be exploited outside the project for wider societal impact are based on:
• Learned cutting-edge techniques, tools, & methodologies.
• Gained interdisciplinary & intersectoral skills
• Gained an appreciation of how research bridges science & industrial applicants
• Strengthened research networks.
• Encouraging cooperation between different disciplines & sectors
• Promoting other areas of research related to the project
• Incorporating new techniques & processes
• Improving the professional training of researchers
• Gaining new knowledge & new skills from host Institutions
• Joint publications
• New challenges in the importance of new polymers for nanofibers, incorporation of new biomolecules
• Participating secondees completed training records & evaluation forms for each secondment undertaken. These records showed positive impact especially for the ESRs with improved technical & research skills, knowledge transfer & the added benefit of cultural & social interactions creating ongoing strong networks both within & outside the MEDIPOL team.
• Online/demand training via Aston’s virtual learning platform Blackboard & in person training during secondments.
• Improving ESRs skills identified during the project: ▪ IP (summer School & expert lectures); ▪ Project management (Summer Schools, expert lectures & on demand training); ▪ Career development skills.

Project benefits to date:
i+MED: R&D Department grown from 22 in January 2020 to 24 R+D researchers in October2022 . ▪ Encouraging cooperation between different disciplines & sectors • Promoting other areas of research related to the project • Incorporating new techniques & processes • Improving the professional training of researchers

TUL: • New challenges in the importance of new polymers for nanofibers, incorporation of new biomolecules • New contacts bringing different perspectives • New technologies for the preparation of nanofibers from other biomolecules, • Joint publications, exchange of knowledge • Joint work on Ph.D. theses of individual students

Chiang Mai University: ▪ Student/Researcher Training ▪ Academic/social/cultural interactions ▪ Research Collaboration between staff members with common interests Access to techniques not available in Chiang Mai University ▪ Research Publications Since 2020, 16 papers (published or in preparation) All in Q1 or Q2 journals 8 of these are joint papers with Aston ▪ Research Grants obtained Frontier Global Partnership Grant 2020-2021

Mae Fah Luang University: ▪ Career development ▪ Scientific writing & presentation at Summer Schools. ▪ Time management ▪ Electrospinning workshop (TUL) ▪ Social networking throughout MEDIPOL teams. ▪ Initiate new collaborative networks within/outside Thailand. ▪ Knowledge transferred by experienced scientists/researchers. ▪ Controlled polymer synthesis & characterization. ▪ AC Electrospinning devices.

Naresuan University: ▪ Career development workshops ▪ Scientific writing & presentation at Summer Schools ▪ Time management ▪Social networking and online workshops from MEDIPOL team ▪ Initiate new collaborative networks within/outside Thailand ▪ Knowledge transferred by experienced scientists/researchers ▪ EPS Health & Safety & specialised research equipment training ▪ Summer schools: all activities provided researcher’s connections & key important points of research. Student section, new generation of researchers can communicate & manage our activities by ourselves ▪ Unique opportunities through secondments Academic/social/cultural interactions.

Continuation programme discussions & funding applications are ongoing to ensure continued longevity of the project team continue ongoing research plans.

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