Polish scientists from the University of Gdansk and Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, together with their partners from Slovenia, will develop an innovative biomaterial to enhance bone healing as part of the Weave-UNISONO collaboration.
Bone fractures are a major health risk in today’s ageing society, mainly among patients with osteoporosis and other bone density disorders. BONEFILL is a project aimed at developing bioactive, injectable bone fillers that closely replicate the natural composition of bone, enabling faster regeneration of particularly small bone defects without the use of antibiotics, which may reduce the development of drug resistance. Hydroxyapatite-based components enriched with metal ions and peptides will be embedded in biodegradable polymer matrix and additionally hardened using irradiation to ensure adequate strength and controlled release of active substances. The project envisages the development of two types of fillers designed for minimally invasive applications: a composite hydrogel for non-surgical applications and an in-situ formed elastomer.
The project will be carried out by an international consortium of Polish and Slovenian scientists working at four leading institutions: the University of Gdansk and Wroclaw University of Technology in Poland, and the Jozef Stefan Institute and Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. The combination of their knowledge and experience will enable the successful development of an innovative, easy-to-use, cost-effective and efficient biomaterial that will improve bone healing, reduce the number of surgeries and enhance the quality of life for many people. The Polish research team headed by Dr hab. Aneta Szymańska from the University of Gdansk will have the budget of nearly PLN 2,000,000. The Slovenian research team will be headed by Prof. Marija Vukomanovič from the Jozef Stefan Institute. The proposal was evaluated by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS), and the National Science Centre approved the evaluation results under the Weave collaboration.
Weave-UNISONO and Lead Agency Procedure
Weave-UNISONO is a result of multilateral cooperation between the research-funding agencies associated in Science Europe and aims at simplifying the submission and selection procedures in all academic disciplines, involving researchers from two or three European countries.
The winning applicants are selected pursuant to the Lead Agency Procedure according to which one partner institution performs a complete merit-based evaluation of proposals, the results of which are subsequently approved by the other partners.
Under the Weave Programme, partner research teams apply for parallel funding to the Lead Agency and their respective institutions participating in the Programme. Joint research projects must include a coherent research program with the added value of the international cooperation clearly identified.
Weave-UNISONO is carried out on an ongoing basis. Research teams intending to cooperate with partners from Austria, Czechia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium-Flanders are urged to read the call text and apply for funding.