The Quest

Hydrogels are increasingly utilized in coatings of medical devices, regenerative medicine and diagnostic materials. However, clinical application of these materials has been staying behind due to the lack of temporal and spatial controlled properties.

Therefore, The BIOGEL Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN-ETN) is a major European research and training consortium in the framework of H2020 programme focusing on developing innovative hydrogels and systems for (bio)medical applications. Functional and responsive hydrogels are engineered to:

(I) enhance the efficacy of medical devices by 2D biointegrative coatings,

(II) advance therapeutic measures by 3D templates for tissue repair,

(III) enable new diagnostic tools by diagnostic hydrogels.

LifeTec Group is involved in BIOGEL to improve current biomaterials test methods by creating physiologically relevant 3D in vitro and ex vivo platforms to study biomaterial behavior and tissue interaction. These will result in better interpretation of early biomaterial research results and a more predictable translation to pre-clinical practice. 

What was done

LifeTec Group is currently developing:

a) An in vitro biomaterial test platform that enables online biomaterial testing in combination with cells or tissues. Assessment possibilities include online microscopy, mechanical testing, degradation studies, and porosity determination.

b) An ex vivo living and functional liver platform maintained under physiological hemodynamic conditions. This platform will allow for medical device testing, imaging, training, drug delivery and toxicity studies in a relevant setting.

In future, new hydrogels and their interaction with biological tissue will be assessed and subsequently improved, using LifeTec Group’s platforms prior to (pre-)clinical evalutations. 

Testimonials

DR. ISRAEL GONZÁLEZ DE TORRE
"In the last few months we (TPNBT S.L. and LifeTec Group) have maintained a very close and fruitful collaboration in the frame of the BIOGEL project testing our ELR-based hydrogels on the osteochondral platform developed by LifeTec Group. This osteochondral platform has proved to be an optimal option before animal experiments."
DR. ISRAEL GONZÁLEZ DE TORRE
R&D Manager, Technical Proteins Nanobiotechnology S.L.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 642687

- COLOFON
Biogel

Biogel_EU

Related publications

Cover publication
Cardiac BioSimulator

FEASIBILITY OF A MITRAL ANNULOPLASTY WITH THE CAPABILITY FOR PERI- AND POSTOPERATIVE ADJUSTMENT

A team from the University of Cambridge and LifeTec collaborated on the development of a REshapeable Mitral Annuloplasty DevIce (REMADI) that allows for peri-operative adjustment during the implantation procedure and post-operatively, which was tested in LifeTec's Cardiac BioSimulator platform and reported in ASME's Journal of Medical Devices.
Read more about FEASIBILITY OF A MITRAL ANNULOPLASTY WITH THE CAPABILITY FOR PERI- AND POSTOPERATIVE ADJUSTMENT
Cellulose Nanofibril Hydrogel

CELLULOSE NANOFIBRIL HYDROGEL PROMOTES HEPATIC DIFFERENTIATION OF HUMAN LIVER ORGANOIDS

In vitro functional liver tissue engineering for drug testing or transplantation can be achieved using the cellulose nanofibril hydrogel as a scaffold, which shows promising mechanical and chemical properties compared to the animal-derived Matrigel and can potentially be used in clinical applications.
Read more about CELLULOSE NANOFIBRIL HYDROGEL PROMOTES HEPATIC DIFFERENTIATION OF HUMAN LIVER ORGANOIDS

Services

Pragmatic engineers: that’s what our clients, medical specialists and fellow researchers sometimes call us. We are proud of this reputation as it tells you a great deal about the company and its people