Dr. Michael Monaghan

Summary

Disease and debilitation of the intervertebral disc poses enormous burden on patient quality life and a significant cost in terms of clinical and economy costs. Tissue engineering is one promising approach to develop therapies for the intervertebral disc but requires the use of animal models to capture the mechanical environment of the intervertebral disc. This project will engineer, and 3D print an accurate in vitro model of the intervertebral disc and benchmark it with ex vivo ovine models which are standardly used in the field. This 3D printing technology offers a superior approach to achieve this; melt electrowriting will accurately capture the ellipsoidal geometry and alternating lamellar orientation of the annulus fibrosis. We will optimise the design and fabrication of this model using melt electrowriting and verify its suitability using mechanical testing and in vitro compatibility testing using human and sheep cells of the intervertebral disc. This approach will lead to the establishment of accurate in vitro models to optimise therapies of the intervertebral disc, minimise our reliance on animal models and lead to more `human-specific" models.

Funding Agency

Irish Research Council

Programme

Ulysses

Project Type

Research Exchange

Person Months

15

Summary

In flIMAGIN3D, which centres on fluorescent lifetime imaging microscopy applied to biomedical platforms in 3D; ten talented Doctoral Candidates (DCs) will be recruited, trained and supervised to cohesively establish the most robust, user accessible and powerful FLIM-based platform-never achieved before, and apply it to a wide range of applications in the biological sciences. flIMAGIN3D will generate ten DCs)at the cutting edge of FLIM-based biological imaging who will spearhead, and go onto catalyse clusters of FLIM excellence across Europe; each intertwined within a collaborative network that will extend beyond the time-frame of the program. This doctoral network will train talented doctoral candidates in the essential theories underpinning FLIM , and through the individual projects and extensive secondments in this network; elevate their projects and skills, and that of their secondment hosts to research excellence in FLIM flIMAGIN3D addresses a significant knowledge gap in the field of photonics in biology by involving biomedical scientists in each and every aspect of development and design, and cognisant of the wide variety of current platforms that require adaptability to such modalities. In flIMAGIN3D: bringing together representatives with different applications and backgrounds, we will identify and overcome barriers to FLIM imaging by developing the next generation of scientists who will develop a FLIM platform capable of extracting the greatest amount of information possible in a stream-lined, accurate and user-friendly manner in order to understand biology in disease, differentiation, development and interventions at a high resolution. To achieve this goal, the trained scientists will develop cheaper advanced hardware components, with user friendly software that can build precise libraries for accurate machine learning classifications and plug-and-play platforms and sensors to facilitate a wide range of applications.

Funding Agency

European Commission

Programme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN

Project Type

Doctoral Network

Person Months

360

Summary

Funding Agency

Enterprise Ireland

Programme

Innovation Partnership Program

Project Type

Industry Collaboration Research

Person Months

48

Summary

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating health conditions affecting circa 27.04 million people globally including 6.4 million Europeans with serious impact on the quality of life and socio-economic status of the patients. Existing regenerative and rehabilitation approaches are largely palliative and neuroprotective, targeting the spared neural tissue after injury with limited efficacy in regeneration. While the spinal cord has poor regenerative ability, the degenerative processes further complicate the SCI pathophysiology. Hence, no regenerative and rehabilitation approaches, individually, have resulted in complete and near complete functional recovery to date. To fully restore the injured spinal cord's functionality, a coordinated combinational approach addressing particular degenerative processes is necessary. Herein, the fellow proposes to develop a regenerative rehabilitation combinational approach to maximize the functional regenerative outcome after SCI using minimally invasive injectable electroconductive hydrogels (ECHs) functionalized with neurotrophins (NTs) and anti-inflammatory cytokines in combination with electrical stimulation (ES) and near infrared (NIR) laser stimulation. ES and NIR laser through the ECH will be used to stimulate the neurons and glial cells to enhance regeneration and neuroplasticity as well as for on demand delivery of biologics to target the inhibitory processes. This proposal describes the project's multidisciplinary nature, execution and management of the project by the fellow and the multiple collaborators who will each provide the fellow with cutting-edge research skills. The goals of the fellow's project place specific focus to ensure that the training of the fellow brings him to a level of competitive scientific excellence at international level.

Funding Agency

European Commission

Programme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF

Project Type

MSCA Individual Fellowship

Person Months

24

Summary

It is the purpose of this PhD project to intertwine the fields of bioengineering, biochemistry and immunology, by combining macrophages; key cells of the innate immune system, with cardiac organoids to achieve a more physiologically relevant model and achieve a diseased 'heart-attack-on-a-dish' organoid model as a patient specific pharmacological testing platform.

Funding Agency

Trinity College Dublin Faculty of Engineering Maths and Sciences Intrafaculty PhD College Award

Project Type

PhD Stipendium

Person Months

48