THOR proposes the development of a revolutionary tissue engineering technology, capable to produce any patient- tailored tissues for organ repair or replacement.
THOR is a project is funded by the European Union’s EIC-Pathfinder Programme, under the Grant Agreement number 101099719
THOR solves the drawbacks of the current engineering technologies, reproducing complex geometries of native tissues with the combination of cutting-edge technologies:
- self-assembling molecules inspired by the extracellular matrix
- self-assembling polymeric fibres and tubes
- materials functionalization
- cutting-edge mini robots to weave 3D self-assembling structures with factors and cells
THOR tissue arises from high-resolution 3D spatial positioning of biomaterials, angiogenic
factors and relevant cell lineages, reprogrammed and expanded in a dedicated bioreactor
under controlled conditions.
The construction of a functional piece of hippocampal tissue, a structure that is one of the most plastic regions in the mammalian brain.
We aim at creating a precise organization of both neural fibres and vessels, a functioning blood-brain-barrier (BBB) on the microfluidic system with unprecedented life-time expectation (>1 month)
(1) the establishment of a Tissue Engineering industry for personalized organ repair, producing any type of well vascularized and fully functioning tissues and
(2) the maintenance of such tissues alive for long periods of time, for an easy transportation to hospitals and clinics, even far from the big cities. THOR will foster the rise of a new industry and of a new biomedical field, while cadaveric donors' transplants will not be necessary.
UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE MADRID, SPAIN
THOR coordinator is the Center for Biomedical Technology of the biggest engineering university in Spain, headquarter of international research networks and projects, like the Blue Brain Project. UPM will provide technological concepts of materials, micromechanics, tissue engineering and biology for the development of THOR technology as well as for building the vascularized DG-hippocampal structure.
UNIVERSITAETSKLINIKUM FREIBURG, GERMANY
One of the top 10 German Universities (top 3 in research funding) and a world leader in neuroscience and neurotechnology, UFR will coordinate WP4 and use its expertise in neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and neuroplasticity for the functional characterization of THOR tissues.
ELVESYS, FRANCE
The world most visited microfluidic company, is an international innovative SME, dedicated to microfluidics and organ-on-a-chip devices, which will lead WP2 and design and develop the microfluidic platform, including flow sensors and transportation unit for perfused tissues.
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DELLA CAMPANIA LUIGI VANVITELLI, ITALY
With 30 years research expertise in neuroscience, with animal models of neurodegenerative disorders, advanced morphological and functional imaging and in vitro/in vivo molecular analysis, UNA will lead WP3 and test DG designs' performance by means of 2D and 3D analysis of architectural, functional and biochemical properties of the vascular and neuroglia elements.
BIOACTIVE SURFACES S.L, SPAIN
A spin-off company of UPM with a revolutionary system for
surface biofunctionalization with an extraordinary precision level, will be the responsible for IPR management.
