Objective Advanced tissue engineering requires scaffolds fabricated at different scales to facilitate cellular repair. Neurons respond to micro and nanopatterns over which are grown and it is possible to control - to some extent - neurite protrusion and the formation of neuronal network by using only nanopatterns. The present proposal is based on four main steps: i - Development and fabrication of Scaffolds; ii - Experimentation and testing of the formation of 3D neuronal networks; iii - Analysis of long term survival of 3D neuronal networks; iv- Development and testing of scaffolds for implants. The final and most important step concerns the implantation of our scaffolds in a neuronal tissue for repair. We will attempt to implant our scaffolds for repairing spinal cord and sciatic nerve injuries, a realistic but challenging aim. Controlled nanoscaled scaffolds will be obtained using nanocomposite materials to obtain custom-designed SFF scaffolds. These scaffolds will be constructed with different materials and will be decorated with appropriate CNTs and/or signaling molecules. Medical imaging will be used to target and interface personalized scaffold production for repair of injuries of the spinal cord and sciatic nerve. In order to achieve these results we have formed a collaboration based on two clusters of research centres, one in China and one in Europe. The cluster in China is composed of the Chinese Academy of Science in Bejing, the Institute of NanoTech and NanoBionics in Suzhou and the Department of Neurosurgery Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, of the Nanjing University. The cluster in Europe is formed by SISSA in Trieste, the University of Trieste, IIT in Genova, Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) in Paris and the University of Lund in Sweden where the repair of the sciatic nerve and the spinal cord will be studied. These two clusters have all the expertise to tackle and reach our objectives. Fields of science medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologytissue engineeringmedical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologyimplantsengineering and technologymedical engineeringdiagnostic imagingmedical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologyengineering and technologymaterials engineeringnanocomposites Programme(s) FP7-NMP - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies Topic(s) NMP.2013.2.2-2 - Biomaterials: Imaging and rapid precise prototyping technology for custom made scaffolds Call for proposal FP7-NMP-2013-EU-China See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research project Coordinator SCUOLA INTERNAZIONALE SUPERIORE DI STUDI AVANZATI DI TRIESTE EU contribution € 486 600,00 Address VIA BONOMEA 265 34136 Trieste Italy See on map Region Nord-Est Friuli-Venezia Giulia Trieste Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Gabriele Rizzetto (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (4) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIA Italy EU contribution € 353 310,00 Address VIA MOREGO 30 16163 Genova See on map Region Nord-Ovest Liguria Genova Activity type Research Organisations Administrative Contact Claudia Schiaffino (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TRIESTE Italy EU contribution € 150 000,00 Address PIAZZALE EUROPA 1 34127 Trieste See on map Region Nord-Est Friuli-Venezia Giulia Trieste Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Paolo Balsini (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data ECOLE NORMALE SUPERIEURE France EU contribution € 404 880,00 Address 45, RUE D'ULM 75230 Paris See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Anne Cormier (Mrs.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University Sweden EU contribution € 404 998,00 Address Paradisgatan 5c 22100 LUND See on map Region Södra Sverige Sydsverige Skåne län Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Jens Schouenborg (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data