The radically new science-enabled technology that shall be developed in NeuroStimSpinal consists in an innovative stimulus-responsive cell-laden biomaterial able to repair the SCI nervous tissue. The proposed innovative biomaterial characteristic is a scaffold for implantation in the traumatic injury point composed of graphene-based materials (GBM) and human adipose derived decellularized tissue (adECM) to promote the growth and reconnection of the ruptured nerves.

PROPOSED INNOVATION:

It is based on a novel adECM/GBM hybrid composition.

The adECM obtained by the partner TECNALIA demonstrated at TRL4:

1) Preservation of basal membrane proteins which play a role as passive molecular filtration and lead to a remarkable positive effect on cell differentiation and tissue repair

2) Viability preservation of more than 139 proteins and 5 types of collagens, some of them with proven interest in neural regeneration

3) Preservation of cell viability according to ISO 10993-5 with residual DNA amount

Preliminary studies by University of Aveiro partner has demonstrated that the presence of GBM in scaffolds further help the regeneration of neurons since these nanomaterials stimulate the ENCPs. A rupture point from similar approaches for this group is that the GBM based fibrous network will be placed in a oriented configuration instead of randomly dispersed, leading to a better stimulation of the SC structure and also beneficial cellular responses.

FOUNDATIONAL CHARACTER

A successful scaffold that promote the neural regeneration, axon growth and neural connection will establish an essential basis for a new line of scientific research in the neurological field with potential applications in other frequent neurological disorders such as Alzheimer, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.