Prof Daniel Kelly, Investigator at Amber and Director of the Trinity Centre for Bioengineering is to receive €150,000 over the next 18 months under the European Research Council’s (ERC) Proof of Concept Grants scheme.
This is the third ERC grant awarded to Prof Kelly and the 12th to researchers in Amber, the Science Foundation Ireland-funded materials science centre based in Trinity College Dublin since its founding in 2013.
Prof Kelly won the funding for his project Anchor, which seeks to develop and commercialise a new medicinal product for cartilage regeneration.
Cartilage damage is a common injury, with the majority of cases involving the knee joint. Damage can occur due to injury or wear and tear, and if not properly treated can lead to osteoarthritis (OA).
OA represents a significant economic burden to patients and society in the world, estimates are that 10% of men and 18% of women aged over 60 have symptomatic osteoarthritis, with 80% of those having limitations in movement. There is currently no cure and in the most serious cases, the entire joint may need to be replaced with an artificial joint, such as a knee replacement prosthesis.
Prof Kelly’s proposed product comprises a cartilage-derived 3D scaffold which acts as a template to guide the growth of new tissue. What is unique about the therapy is that the scaffolds will be supported by an array of 3D-printed biodegradable polymer posts that will anchor the implants into the bone underneath the cartilage.
If successful, such an implant would form the basis of a truly transformative therapy for treating degenerative joint diseases like arthritis.
Prof Kelly said: “At present the treatment options for OA are limited to surgical replacement of the diseased joint, with a prosthesis. Joint replacement prosthesis also have a finite lifespan, making them unsuitable for the growing population of younger and more active patients requiring treatment for OA.
“Our 3D-printed polymer posts will anchor the implant into the bone and will be porous to stimulate the migration of stem cells from the bone marrow into the body of the scaffold. While various scaffolds like this have been available for some time, they have had limited success, partly because scaffolds need to be anchored securely due to the high forces experienced within the joint. Our 3D-printed posts overcome this problem.”
TechCentral Reporters
Subscribers 0
Fans 0
Followers 0
Followers