Project description DEENESFRITPL Reinforced hydrogels for drug delivery Hydrogels are innovative biomaterials that have found significant application in wound healing, drug delivery and in the manufacturing of contact lenses. However, their high water content renders them mechanically brittle. To strengthen and improve hydrogel performance, scientists of the EU-funded Net2Gel project are working on a new class of double network hydrogels based on polypeptides as patches. The aim is to employ novel chemistry to generate materials with enhanced properties that retain biocompatibility and are suitable for drug delivery applications. The scientific findings of the project have high commercial exploitation potential and are expected to advance hydrogel applications. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Polymer hydrogels contain over 90% water and are very useful materials in many biomedical areas such as contact lenses, drug delivery, wound healing, among others. However, many hydrogels are mechanically underperforming in that they are either too weak or too brittle. Double network hydrogels have shown significant promise to overcome this issue and mechanically strong or stretchable, elastic double network hydrogels have been reported. The overall aim of this project is to develop a new class of stretchable biocompatible double network hydrogels based on polypeptides as patches for transdermal drug delivery. The project will develop novel chemistry to achieve materials with enhanced properties validated for a drug delivey application by a multidisciplinary approach combining expertise in polymer chemistry, material science, drug delivery and biomaterial science. The project will foster new collaboration opportunities between research groups from different scientific fields. The high-level science is complemented by bespoke training activities, which will significantly advance the career opportunities of the applicant. A particular feasture of the project is the proposed development of a hydrogel school experiment in collaboration with the teachers-in-residence programme of the Irish Centre for Medical Device (CURAM) to foster scientific interest, motivation and encouragement for pupils in schools located in disadvantaged communities. Moreover, commercial exploitation of the scientific findings and developments will be explored. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciences Keywords polypeptides hydrogels interpenetrating networks mechanical properties transdermal drug delivery Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2019 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2019 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN IRELAND Net EU contribution € 184 590,72 Address ST STEPHEN'S GREEN 123 2 Dublin Ireland See on map Region Ireland Northern and Western Border Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 184 590,72
