Sara Gil Cantero

PhD student

Scaffolds Immune Risk Management

 

Supervisor: Prof. Johannes Stöckl (Medical University of Vienna) (main supervisor), Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini (FAU)

This project belongs to the Horizon 2020 “Perspectives for Future Innovation in Tendon Repair” (P4 FIT) (LINK: https://www.p4fit.eu/) European Joint Doctorate consortium (EU H2020-MCSA-ITN-EJD-2020). Tendon biomimetic scaffolds are a promising, therapeutical approach for tendinopathies. In order to be clinically effective, scaffolds must induce a minimal immunological response [1]. In this context, the project aims to study the interplay between tissue engineering and the immunological response, in relation to tendon repair and regeneration. More specifically, the main objective is to identify predictive biomarkers of scaffolds immune-biosafety. For that purpose, different scaffolds will be generated and their molecular and cellular immunological response, as well as their biodegradability and cytotoxicity will be studied.

[1] Vasiliadis, A. V., Katakalos, K.,. 2020. “The Role of Scaffolds in Tendon Tissue Engineering”. Journal of Functional Biomaterials, 11(4), 78.