BIOACTIVE POLYMERIC SYSTEMS FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE. DESIGN, CHARACTERIZATION AND EVALUATION

Entity: 
Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
Type: 
Spanish R+D plan
Leader: 
Prof. Julio San Román
ICTP Personal: 
Departamento de Nanomateriales Poliméricos y Biomateriales. Dra. Blanca Vázquez Lasa, Dr. Luis Rodríguez Lorenzo, Dra. Mª Rosa Aguilar de Armas, Dra. Gema Rodríguez Crespo, Dr. Juan Parra Cáceres, Dr. Antonio López Bravo. Dra. Mar Fernández, Dr. Francisco Parra, Dr. Álvaro Gómez. Dr. Jordi Girones, Dª Felisa reyes.
Start: 
1 January 2011
End: 
31 December 2013
Summary: 

The proposal considers the development
of biodegradable or resorbable polymeric
systems and “composites”, which could
offer advanced solutions in the attractive
field of “Regenerative Medicine”. The aim
of the project is the design and preparation
of biomimetic systems of the Extracellular
matrix ECM considering their structural and
biofunctional characteristics. On this way,
the following objectives in a cooperative
and multidisciplinar frame are: Synthesis of
biodegradable polyester-PEG copolymers
with branched structures and the
corresponding polyurethane derivatives,
which can be applied for the preparation
of bioactive scaffolds and supports that
activate the cellular proliferation and tissue
integration, using advanced technologies such as supercritical CO2 or modulated
electrospinning. Resorbable hydrogels
with controlled macro/microporosity will
be prepared by cryopolymerization and/or
cryocrosslinking with bioactive components
which activate and modulate cellular
proliferation and tisular regeneration. New
“bioactive poolymeric systems” modulators
of the cell proliferation, as well as systems
that offer a clear anti-proliferative action.
Development of injectable formulations
which mimic the ECM based on hydrophilic
polymers with bioactive components
such as growth factors (FGF, VEFG, BMP-
2), activators of regenerative processes
and angiogenic factors such as heparin,
proadenomedulin, which are of enormous
importance in regenerative processes
in bone and connective tissues, and in
healing.
To fullfill these objectives the active
participation of researchers in a
multidisciplinary equipment with more
than 15 years of experience in cooperative
projects is considered. The coordinated
and complementary multidisciplinar team
covers all the tasks and specialities needed
for the development of the different steps
and work packages of the project, i.e.
preparation of bioactive systems, analysis
of the properties, cell behaviour and
animal experimentation. The cooperative
action proposed is supported by the
results obtained by the research team
in the last years, which are reflected
in the production of Doctoral Thesis in
specialities from Polymer Chemistry to
Clinical Applications, a significant number
of publications in books and high level
scientific journals, participation and
coordination in European Projects, patents
on exploitation, and development of a new
cell culture laboratory open to the study of
biocompatibility of biomaterials at national
and international levels.

Importe concedido: 310.000 €

Reference: 
MAT2010 – 18155