Smart bioreactor-based platform for the multi-phYsical stimulatioN of Engineered osteochondRal tissues towards functional reGeneratIon and advanced diseasE modelS

The incidence and socioeconomic burden of osteochondral (OC) diseases are growing worldwide, representing a major challenge for the healthcare systems. Tissue Engineering (TE) emerged as a promising alternative to the current ineffective OC disease treatments.

However, state-of-the-art OCTE strategies are still unable to create functional engineered tissues, mainly due to their inability to replicate in vitro the complex physicochemical environment of the native OC tissue within the articular joint, making OC regeneration a critical unmet medical need.

The ambitious purpose of the SYNERGIES project is to fill this gap by developing a pioneering smart biomimetic bioreactor-based platform able to culture OC constructs under physiologically and clinically relevant multi-physical stimulations in a controlled and adaptive manner.

Cutting-edge in silico modelling and machine learning (ML) tools will be employed for the operational parameters optimization and for the smart automated control of the bioreactor platform, respectively.

The SYNERGIES platform will enhance the knowledge of OC tissue mechanobiology beyond the state-of-the-art and guide the improvement of protocols for the production of functional OC substitutes, which will be suitable in vitro models for OC disease research and drug screening, paving the way for new effective therapies.The proposed Fellowship will enable a highly interdisciplinary collaboration between myself, a talented post-doc with a strong track record on biomaterial scaffolds for OCTE, and the supervisors, leading experts on bioreactor engineering and in silico modelling/ML tools.

The excellent working conditions at Politecnico di Torino and 7HC will promote my professional development, offering me new scientific expertise and leadership skills, significantly widening my career perspectives.

Ultimately, SYNERGIES outcomes will be of remarkable benefit to the European biomedical sector, contributing to EU excellence and quality of life.