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Piezo-driven theramesh: A revolutionary multifaceted actuator to repair the injured spinal cordbroad

Piezo4Spine · Horizon Europe grant · 2023-01-01–2026-12-31

EC contribution

€3,537,120

Total cost

€3,537,121

Beneficiaries

7
About the data

Source: CORDIS (official EU open data), Horizon Europe. Framework HORIZON · call HORIZON-EIC-2022-PATHFINDEROPEN-01 · scheme HORIZON-EIC · topic HORIZON-EIC-2022-PATHFINDEROPEN-01-01. CORDIS record →

Objective

Piezo4Spine aims to develop a novel multifactorial therapy for spinal cord injury (SCI) conceived as a disruptive platform enabling unprecedented multiscale actuation to drive functional neural repair by more accurately tackling SCI complexity. It originally relies on the pivotal role that mechanotransduction plays in the physiology and physiopathology of tissue and organ functions, never explored before for SCI. We will develop a 3D bioprinted mesh containing nanocarriers with therapeutic agents acting at two pivotal aspects of neural repair: mechanotransduction and inhibitory scarring using gene therapy strategies. Bioactive nanocarriers will base on cutting-edge nanoparticles whose release will be electrically triggered on-demand via wireless powering. Such 3D-theramesh offers a novel and exceptionally robust biomaterial for delivering agents at the lesion, controlling time and dose. Current advances on SCI therapies focus on rehabilitation, cell transplantation, drugs, biomaterials, and/or electrical stimulation. Although leading to partial sensory/motor recovery, chronic functional deficits limit daily living activities and shorten live expectancy in SCI patients, as they fail to promote successful axon regeneration at the lesion and awake lost functions. By a multidisciplinary consortium combining scientific, technological, clinical and industrial partners enriched by their interdisciplinarity, we envision to overcome limitations of current technologies by tackling multiple cellular targets involved in neural regeneration after SCI with a balanced combination of therapeutic interventions able to optimally promote functional recovery. These radical science-to-technology breakthroughs could enable, if successful, novel technologies and therapies for SCI and many other neural and non-neural pathologies in which some, but not necessarily all, of these targets are involved. Gender dimension will be implemented by ensuring that findings apply to society as a whole.

Beneficiaries (7)

OrganisationCountryRoleEC contributionSME
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS ES coordinator €1,067,476
SERVICIO DE SALUD DE CASTILLA LA MANCHA ES participant €621,771
FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIA IT participant €486,082
UNIVERSIDADE DE COIMBRA PT participant €410,284
UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN BE participant €401,866
BLACK DROP BIODRUCKER GMBH DE participant €325,266 Yes
ACIB GMBH AT participant €224,375 Yes

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