Acronimo: i3Dblood
Titolo: Intravital 3D bioprinting of microfluidic networks for blood guidance in living organisms
Coordinatore: prof. Nicola ELVASSORE - Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale-Università degli Studi di PADOVA
Partern-Unità di ricerca: Università degli Studi di NAPOLI
Bando: PRIN 2022 - Decreto Direttoriale n. 104 del 02-02-2022
Durata: 28/09/2023 – 27/09/2025 (24 mesi)
Budget totale progetto: € 253.748,00

Abstract del progetto

The general aim of this proposal is to generate hydrogel-based microfluidic networks for blood guidance within living organisms. Specific aims are: i) development of a novel 3D bioprinting approach based on hydrogel de-crosslinking procedure for fast and effective generation of microfluidic channels within a photo-crosslinked hydrogel; ii)optimization of hydrogel formulation, hydrogel elastic properties and geometric configuration of hydrogel microfluidics for a proper guidance of blood flow; iii) fabrication of artery by-pass made of hydrogel and blood flow analysis and characterization in living mice.

A short term application of this proposal, within the timeframe of the PRIN funding, will be the generation of microfluidic networks in vivo to study blood flow in artificial hydrogel microfluidics in a physiological pulsatile environment in living animals.

In a long term view, this project will be a first step to develop a groundbreaking technology for engineering vasculature, directly in living organisms. This has an enormous potential for clinical applications such as arteriovenous fistulas for hemodialysis or anastomosis of 3D tissues implantation.