Descrizione del progetto
Impianti articolari complessi per prevenire l’artrosi
La ricerca ha dimostrato che difetti osteocondrali profondi della superficie articolare potrebbero essere responsabili dell’artrosi, che colpisce principalmente la popolazione anziana. La malattia colpisce sia la cartilagine articolare che l’osso sottostante e ha gravi ripercussioni socioeconomiche sulla popolazione adulta dell’UE. Gli impianti di ingegneria tissutale esistenti potrebbero offrire soluzioni per la rigenerazione o la prevenzione della malattia. Tuttavia, la loro produzione è principalmente manuale e non riesce a soddisfare la crescente domanda clinica. Il progetto JOINTPROMISE, finanziato dall’UE, svilupperà impianti articolari complessi in grado di contenere le informazioni biologiche necessarie per effettuare il processo di rigenerazione. Per raggiungere questo obiettivo, il progetto applicherà tecnologie organoidi integrate con tecnologie di biostampa. Adotterà inoltre tecnologie di robotica, biostampa e dei bioreattori per raggiungere una produzione automatizzata.
Obiettivo
There is convincing evidence, in animal models and in humans, that deep osteochondral defects of the joint surface lead to a high rate of osteoarthritis (OA) over time. The disease process in OA, the most prevalent arthritic disease affecting 25% of the adult population, involves the entire joint affecting both the articular cartilage and the underlying bone. Hence it is crucial to consider the entire osteochondral unit as a target for repair. Tissue engineered implants could provide a solution for the regeneration of this type of defects and prevent the development of OA. This project aims to address this unmet clinical need by developing complex joint implants that will possess the spatially inbuilt biologic information for regenerating these challenging defects. Breakthroughs in organoid technologies have allowed the development of cartilaginous microtissue structures that can predictively execute regenerative programmes upon implantation. These microtissues can be used as building blocks for bottom-up 3D bioprinting of living joint implants. In order to be able to produce scaled-up implants containing at the same time a highly precise structure, integration of bioprinting technologies is needed. Moreover in order to cover rising clinical demand the whole manufacturing process, which is mostly manual today, will need to be automated adopting robotics, bioprinting and bioreactor technologies. In order to demonstrate implant feasibility and efficacy, large osteochondral defect repair will be studied in the minipig, a large animal model relevant to the patient. Taken together we strive to develop an automated, GMP-grade platform producing large, patterned and vascularised joint implants providing also a paradigm shift for generic automated manufacturing of organoid-based tissue implants. JOINTPROMISE paves the way for high-volume, affordable production of entire biological joints, addressing a major socioeconomic challenge of the European ageing society.
Campo scientifico
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineering
- engineering and technologyenvironmental biotechnologybioremediationbioreactors
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringrobotics
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologyimplants
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Invito a presentare proposte
Vedi altri progetti per questo bandoBando secondario
H2020-SC1-2019-Single-Stage-RTD
Meccanismo di finanziamento
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinatore
3000 Leuven
Belgio