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 SMART BIOMATERIALS PUT CELLS TO WORK
Project leader: Pascal Jonkheijm, PhD
University of Twente
Budget: € 2.000.000
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Narrowing as a recurrent problem
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| Heart attacks often result from a narrowing of the coronary artery that normally provides the heart muscle with oxygen. Dilation of a constricted vessel is the most common method for the treatment and prevention of acute problems. This is performed with a balloon catheter, the well-known percutaneous angioplasty. Nowadays during angioplasty, a stent, a tubular shape of mesh stainless steel is introduced into the vessel to prevent it from narrowing again. If a stent is not applied, the blood vessel narrows again in 30% of the cases. However, even if a stent is introduced, it only offers a short-term solution. The major problem remains that the metal stent is in direct contact with the blood. This can cause blood clots, with severe complications as a result. |
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© BMM / Rogier Trompert Medical Art
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Cells at work
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| This research project intends to prevent this problem by using smart, so-called supramolecular materials. These biomaterials are built up in modules. Using advanced techniques, they are then solidly bound to the surface of the metal of the stent on one side. The other side is designed so it can be varied and so that the cells of the blood vessel wall can adhere to it. This enables active intervention to stimulate the adhesion and growth of the necessary cells. In this way, the vessel wall grows over the metal and the blood is no longer in direct contact with the metal. |
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Partners
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The following companies and institutes work together to make a success of Superdices:
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Publications
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- Uhlenheuer DA, Young JF, Nguyen HD, Scheepstra M, Brunsveld L. Cucurbit[8]uril induced heterodimerization of methylviologen and naphthalene functionalized proteins. Chem Commun (Camb). 2011 Jun 28;47(24):6798-800. Abstract
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Contact
BioMedical Materials
Urmonderbaan 20/A
NL-6167 RD GELEEN
NETHERLANDS
T +31 (46) 702 2280
E info@bmm-program.nl
Last updated on 2012-08-13