An NFB-led consortium has recently been successful with a proposal in the EU FP7 Industry Academia Partnership and People (IAPP) programme. The proposal entitled ‘Targeting Functional Tendon Regeneration Using a Loaded Biomimetic Scaffold. An Integrated Pan-European Approach’ was one of the highest ranked under the Life Sciences scheme.
The consortium led by NFB includes an academic group from the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture Food and Environment, Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel), North West Textile Network (a ‘not for profit’ organisation based in the UK) and two Small Medium Enterprises. The consortium aims to address the shortcomings in tissue-engineered solutions for tendon injuries. Specifically, the project objective is to fabricate an optimally stabilised and effectively functionalised three-dimensional self-assembled nano-textured biomimetic composite that will not only match the properties of native tendons, but will also act as a reservoir for sustained delivery of bioactive / therapeutic molecules that will modulate host response and promote functional neotissue formation.
The IAPP award totals €2.4m and will fund the training and development of researchers in biomaterials and tissue engineering research over a 4 year period beginning in October 2010. The IAPP programme is a Marie Curie Action initiative which provides funding for the exchange of researchers and the transfer of knowledge throughout the EU. The programme will foster increased scientific dialogue between academics, industry and clinicians; transfer key scientific and experimental knowledge between the institutions involved enabling the consortium to widen the scope of their work; encourage researchers to stay in Europe, and attract researchers from around the world to conduct research in the EU.
Speaking about the award, Professor Abhay Pandit, Director of the NFB said ‘We are delighted with the success of this proposal. Over the years, we have developed strong links with leading industries and academic partners throughout Europe and the US that give us the capability to address tissue degenerative conditions or injuries through increasingly sophisticated biomaterial-based platforms. This success is primarily due to the critical mass in biomaterials research that has been established under the Strategic Research Cluster programme funded by Science Foundation Ireland. The high score given by the EU review panel endorses the work which we do in Galway’.
Dr Dimitrios Zeugolis, Principal Investigator at the NFB said ‘Tendon and ligament injuries constitute a bottleneck in modern medical and surgical practice with associated health care expenditure exceeding €75 billion per year in Europe alone. Through this IAPP we will develop the next generation of clinically relevant biomimetic constructs that will provide a valuable solution for functional tendon regeneration.
Mr. Bill Mills, Managing Director North West Textiles added that said he is very excited to be involved in this project, and is looking forward to working with partners and adding our expertise in this challenging area of development.
Hebrew University based Professor Oded Shoseyov also shared this excitement and stated that the opportunity to join forces with the other consortium members to address one of the most important unmet needs of modern regenerative medicine indeed something to look forward to.
Mr. Yehiel Tal, CEO of CollPlant Ltd. (TASE: CLPT) said "This is a great opportunity for CollPlant to implement its unique Resilin composite technology into a novel product aiming to solve one of the biggest unmet needs in orthopaedic medicine. We are proud to be part of this consortium, and believe the synergism among the participants will result in a fruitful exchange of knowledge and ideas, leading to the development of a superior product".
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