Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) – LS-NeoCarE
Large-Scale Neo-Cartilage Engineering: LS-NeoCarE
Osteoarthritis is a joint disease affecting over 1.3 million people in the Netherlands. With an ageing society, the number of patients is only projected to increase in the coming decades. The impact of the diseases on the quality of life of the patients is enormous. Many suffer from chronic pain and limited mobility to the extent that it significantly limits them to participate in everyday life and their (former) work. Current treatment options are limited to managing their pain symptoms, without stopping or reversing the progression of the disease. The NWA-ORC project LS-NeoCarE aims to open the pathway to the first regenerative large-scale implants, that can permanently replace the damaged joint.
To accomplish this ambitious goal, the consortium will combine and advance biobased technologies, such as bioprinting and human stem cell derived organoids. This will allow them to engineer large-scale neo-cartilage, suitable for joint-replacement in advanced osteoarthritis. If successful, this will be the first step to enable patients to return to a pain-free and mobile life without fear of a continuous decline in their health and quality of life.
A consortium of academics, applied universities, public and private partners
LS-NeoCarE follows a multidisciplinary approach to develop novel and innovative technologies that will lead to massive advances in regenerative medicine and to the creation of related industrial opportunities. To successfully complete all the objectives and to reach the desired impact, LS-NeoCarE brings together various organisations, including universities, academic hospitals, private parties, foundations, patient organisations and universities of applied science, which all share the same goal: a new dawn for the treatment of osteoarthritis.
The Dutch Research Agenda: Research along Routes by Consortia (NWA-ORC)
The LS-NeoCarE consortium, led by Prof. Keita Ito of the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), has been awarded with the highly competitive NWA-ORC grant. The NWA-ORC stimulates research and innovation to reach societal and scientific impact as the proposals must address at least one of the NWA routes. The consortia are interdisciplinary and must cover the whole knowledge-chain.
Hezelburcht has written both the pre-proposal and full proposal for the LS-NeoCarE NWA-ORC grant application in collaboration with Prof. Keita Ito and the consortium partners. We are proud of our collaboration with the project partners and we will provide support with the project management in the coming years. We wish the entire consortium success with the continuation of the project!
The application process to this award was made even longer and more complicated by the Corona pandemic. Luckily, we had a wonderful group to persevere and put a great proposal together with the committed team from Hezelburcht. - Prof. Keita Ito
