Cardiac regeneration
BIORECAR project develops a new regenerative medicine method to recover myocardial functional contractility in the post-infarct fibrotic tissue.
The studied approach is based on direct cell reprogramming and integrates nanomedicine, biomaterials science and tissue engineering. The project foresees the design of:
- Innovative polymeric nanoparticles, for the release of specific oligonucleotides for direct reprogramming of the cells populating the post-infarct fibrotic scar (cardiac fibroblasts), modifying their gene expression, to convert them into cardiomyocytes.
- Injectable hydrogel for the delivery of nanoparticles, and provided with further functionalities to reinforce direct cell reprogramming.
-The approach will be validated in an in vitro model of human fibrotic cardiac tissue based on bioartificial polymeric scaffolds.
BIORECAR project has received funding from ERC under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement 772168)
Relevant publications:
Paoletti C., Divieto C., Chiono V. Impact of biomaterials on differentiation and reprogramming approaches for the generation of functional cardiomyocytes, Cells 2018,7(9), 114 http://hdl.handle.net/11583/2716980
Wei Ling Lee S., Paoletti C., Campisi M., Osaki T., Adriani G., Kamm R.D., Mattu C., Chiono V. MicroRNA delivery through nanoparticles, Journal of Controlled Release 2019, 313, 80. http://hdl.handle.net/11583/2773672
Zoso A., Carmagnola I., Ruocco G., Spedicati M., Chiono V. In vitro models of human cardiac fibrotic tissue on ‘bioartificial’ scaffolds, Biomedical Science and Engineering 2019; 3(s3):122. http://hdl.handle.net/11583/2776935
Steimberg N., Bertero A., Chiono V., Dell’Era P., Di Angelantonio S., Hartung T., Perego S., Raimondi M., Xinaris C., Caloni F., De Angelis I., Alloisio S. and Baderna D. iPS, organoids and 3D models as advanced tools for in vitro toxicology, ALTEX - Alternatives to animal experimentation 2020, 37(1), 136. http://hdl.handle.net/11583/2798948
Paoletti C., Divieto C., F. Di Meglio F., Nurzynska D., Chiono V. Direct reprogramming of human cardiac fibroblasts to cardiomyocytes using microRNA mimics, Proceedings and programme JRC Summer School 2019: Non-Animal Approaches in Science Challenges & Future Directions 2019, 74 http://hdl.handle.net/11583/2798494