3D-CARTIBONE (Development of bioinks formulated with substances of human origin for use in osteochondral 3D-bioprinting)

The project aims to solve a real clinical need by developing new SoHO (Substances of Human Origin) bioinks which would be a key raw material for bioprinting research and health research facilities.

These SoHO bioinks will pave the way, for example, to improve the current approach to cartilage-based reconstructive surgeries, which is one of the most common fracture and plastic reconstructive surgical approaches and whose current surgical approach carries a long list of drawbacks (long surgery times, manual work of surgeon, longer post-op care, etc).
This project aims to develop new bioinks made from human-derived materials (SoHO) for 3D bioprinting, which could transform reconstructive surgeries like those for cartilage repair. By creating patient-specific bioprinted grafts enriched with stem cells, these bioinks could reduce the need for harvesting cartilage from donors, minimize surgery times and complications, and speed up recovery. The innovative approach involves designing bioinks that mimic natural tissue structures, with lab and animal testing planned to ensure safety and effectiveness. This breakthrough could significantly improve outcomes for patients needing cartilage reconstruction. The validation of the bioprinted osteochondral-like graft will be done in vitro to evaluate the biocompatibility, viability and cell proliferation and in vivo in a sheep animal model to evaluate its safety, integration and functionality.