Multi-disciplinary training environment for next-generation hydrogel-based smart bio-interactive materials
Smart resorbable hydrogels will play a key role in next-generation biomedicine, for instance as platform materials for tissue engineering. As these materials have the potential to address a wide range of medical conditions, significant growth for the biomedical materials industry is forecast. To explore this opportunity and exploit the potential, highly-qualified and well-trained biomaterials experts are urgently required. NeoGel will address this need by providing cross-disciplinary training to four ESRs in an exciting academia-industry collaboration focused on novel hydrogels.
In this EID, two leading academic and industrial groups in polymer and biomaterial science, complemented by associate partners in pharmacology and tissue engineering, will apply an integrated approach to the development of new biomaterials. This will comprise iterative improvement of commercial and of novel-hydrogels, providing the ESRs with an ideal, rapidly developing, environment in which to learn. The training environment will be supported by structured training in transferable skills, covering entrepreneurship, project management and communication, delivered by the private sector and university specialists. In a unique approach NeoGel will link up with another Marie Curie ITN and with an Irish structured PhD program, for training in biotherapeutics.
The training provided will match the anticipated skills required by the next generation of research leaders in the biomaterials/regenerative medicine industry. The ESRs will emerge with excellent scientific skills and with an intuitive understanding of the needs of industry and of conducting industrial projects. They will have rapidly matured through the programme and will graduate fully able to operate in commercialised research environments. Hence they will make a significant contribution to the expansion of the European biomaterials industry, and to the development of the next generation of biomaterials for improving quality-of-life worldwide.
Coordinator:Dublin City University, IE
Partners:
- Royal DSM N.V, NL
- accelopment Schweiz AG, CH
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, IE
- Sterigenics Germany GmbH, DE
- University of Nottingham, UK
- University Medical Center Utrecht, NL
