BRAVE Project

Advanced bioengineering to develop cardiac tissue and apply it to cardiotoxicity study and detection

The BIOHEART project faces the challenge of advancing in the development of 3D printing technology and biomaterials that allow obtaining human cardiac tissue in the laboratory, from mini-hearts to complete organs, as well as making them valuable as an effective and novel platform for the early detection of cardiotoxicity.

This is one of the Strategic R&D Projects 2022 of the Government of Navarra. It is made up of a multidisciplinary consortium that brings together the experience of the reference research organizations in Navarra (Cima University of Navarra, Navarrabiomed, and AIN), actors from the agri-food sector (Los Alecos), and industry (Nadetech), together with the translational clinical capacity of the two most important hospitals in the region (University Hospital of Navarra and Clínica Universidad de Navarra). Finally, ADItech participates in the project to include the gender dimension in research and thus contribute to its scientific excellence.

This way, BIOHEART seeks to bring together cutting-edge technology in areas such as stem cells, interspecies chimeras, 3D printing, and tissue biofabrication. The integration of different agents essential for its development is necessary to achieve its goal.

The previous teamwork experience of most of the institutions participating in the consortium guarantees the synchronization and synergy of their activities.

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Coordinator and partners

Project coordinator:

FIMA through Cima Universidad de Navarra

Project partners:

Fundación Miguel Servet through Navarrabiomed.
AIN
Granja Los Alecos SL
Nadetech Innovations SL
Clínica Universidad de Navarra
Hospitalario Universitario de Navarra
ADItech

Objectives of the BIOHEART consortium

Specialized teams to achieve the objective

Developing cutting-edge industrial technology

From the design and manufacture of new multifunctional 3D printing equipment and biomaterials to the development of specific bioinks for the development of novel biomaterials.

Fabricate and characterize 3D cardiac tissue

This includes not only cardiac muscle tissue (myocardium), but also valvular tissue. In addition, progress will be made at two different scales: mini-tissue and whole heart.

Develop strategies for differentiation of hiPSCs
to cardiac tissue and technologies that allow the generation of interspecies chimeras or blastocyst complementation, among others.

To implement cardiac tissues for potential clinical application

Optimization to detect the presence of cardiotoxicity associated with anti-oncology therapy and to delve into sex/gender differences and associated mechanisms.