The technology
BRAVꓱ will use computational modelling to define the BioVAD structure that will be printed using novel 3D printing techniques. This scaffold will be seeded with hiPSCs, creating cardiac tissue that will integrate in the patient’s heart, improving the cardiac function.
The BioVAD will guide the new cardiac cells into the optimal distribution to restore the healthy heart geometry that is lost in IHD. This way, the device provides patients with new functional myocardium with the adequate orientation that is needed for an effective heart contraction.
Methodology
Computational heart analysis
Computer modelling tools such as CompM will be used to research the relationship between cardiac geometry and tissue mechanics. This way, we can design a BioVAD tailored to the actual condition of the patient’s heart.
Scaffold production
The project will create a microfibre scaffold using a novel 3D printing technique: melt electrowriting. The microfiber structure will be combined with hydrogels to improve the scaffold properties. The goal is to obtain a functional structure that can guide the growth of cardiac cells in the adequate orientation.
Cardiac stem cells generation
BRAV∃ will obtain cardiac cells derivatives from human induced pluripotent stem cells. These cells will be used to seed the scaffold and will define the new functional cardiac tissue.
Preclinical validation
