HORIZON-MSCA-2021-DN-01. PhD position no. ESR8. NanoReMedi-PhD programme in Functional Nano-...

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network NANOREMEDI-programme in “Functional Nano-Scaffolds for Regenerative Medicine” stems from six Doctoral Courses/Schools at six beneficiary institutions, providing research and training in the field of nanomaterials for Regenerative Medicine. An active contribution of enterprises in training activities is a relevant feature of the programme.

Beneficiaries (Doctorate Courses/Schools): University of Milan (Pharmaceutical Sciences), ITALY – Coordinating University; Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Polymers and Biopolymers) SPAIN; The Hebrew University Jerusalem (School of Chemistry), ISRAEL; Université de Montpellier (Balard Chemical Sciences doctoral school), FRANCE; University of Pavia (Bioengineering, Bioinformatics & Health Technologies), ITALY; IC nanoGUNE (Materials Physics; delivered by University of the Basque Country - Associated Partner linked to NANOGUNE beneficiary), SPAIN.

Associated partners for secondments activities: Bayer Health Care Pharmaceuticals – ITALY; Edelweiss Connect GMBH – SWITZERLAND; Italfarmaco S.p.A. (CHEMI) – ITALY; Jacobacci & Partners – ITALY; Lynxter -FRANCE; Simune Atomistics SL – SPAIN; Ponti & Partners, SLP – SPAIN; AbMedica – ITALY; DeLama – ITALY; Officine Innovazione Srl (Deloitte) – ITALY; Genepep – FRANCE; BioBasic Europe rsl - ITALY

The scientific approach proposed by NanoReMedi Consortium is strongly multidisciplinary and will involve a number of different state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies. Expected results are:

• Generate tissue engineered vascular grafts (VGs) to replace damaged peripheral arteries
• Study stem-cell based regenerative medicine for bone and cartilage repair
• Tackle implantation failure of engineered tissues/scaffolds

13 ESR PhD positions are offered by the Consortium related to different and multidisciplinary projects strongly interconnected involving different state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies: Computational chemistry; Chemical synthesis/peptide synthesis; Peptide based Nanomaterials (Soft materials/Hydrogels/Electrospinning) preparation and spectroscopic characterization; Production of vein graph; 3D-tissue fabrication; Biofilm prevention; Electrostimulated release of antimicrobial peptides.

Each ESR will attend the following training activities: i) advanced courses and soft and transferable skill courses provided by University’s doctorate courses/schools; ii) multidisciplinary courses/Summer delivered by NanoReMedi Network at the general Network Meetings/; iii) Nine-months secondment at one of the Beneficiary jointly awarding the doctoral degree to improve research methods complementary to those at home institution; iv) Three-months secondment at one of the enterprise where ESRs are expected to acquire complementary skills.

Job Summary (Manufacturing of composite electrospun vascular grafts (VGs) for regenerative purpose)

1. Investigation of safe cross-linking strategies of newly-synthetized spinnable peptides/peptidomimetics. 2. Electro-spun bilayered flat grafts preparation using biodegradable polymers (i.e. PLGA, PLA, PLA-PCL, DegraPol® provided by AbMedica S.p.A, etc.) in combination with selected newly synthetized peptides/peptidomimetics to increase their suitability for the specific application. Bi/multi-layered grafts will be also prepared combining electrospinning with 3D-printing (Nanogune, Spain). 3. Physico-chemical, mechanical and biological characterization of the obtained electro-spun flat grafts 4. Small calibre VGs preparation set-up and their morphological, mechanical, physical-chemical and biological characterization. Stability studies.

One position is available at University of Pavia in research project ESR8:

Secondments: i) nine months at NANOGUNE (Spain): training and use of electrospinning/3D printing to test combined techniques for grafts set-up; ii) three months of enterprise secondment at AbMedica S.p.A. (Italy) to test newly-synthetized spinnable peptides / DegraPol® coupling..