The motto of this year’s Annual Conference of the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB) was “Biomaterials on the horizon”. “It was inspired by the fast development of new sources for multifunctional materials, and groundbreaking technologies that enable new structures and devices that improve healthcare, prevent pathologies, and allow patient-oriented therapies.” say the organisers.

And a groundbreaking approach was exactly what Alix Lemaître, our consortium partner at the MERLN Institute, shared during her presentation “Optimizing Natural Hydrogels to Support Cardiovascular Cell Culture: Towards Physiologically Relevant Human Cardiac Models”.

Besides showcasing her research, the presentation also introduced PULSE’s to cardiac biomaterials researchers—and the wider biomaterials community—including its bioprinting platform and mission: developing bioprinted cardiac models to protect both astronauts during long-duration missions and patients undergoing radiation-based treatments on Earth.  

From september 7 to 11, Alix joined researchers, policymakers and industry representatives from across Europe in Turin, Italy to discuss many topics, from traditional in vitro models to emerging themes, like biomaterials assisted gene and cell therapy.

Within the project, Alix and her team are involved in the bioprinting of cardiac iPSC-derived 3D in vitro models using space environment as a tool to study aging.

This year’s conference continues a tradition begun in Bologna almost 50 years ago, when the first ESB conference was held, there was a big focus on the role of the biomaterials on the Sustainable Development Goals. Crosscutting topics like artificial intelligence in biomaterial research, ethics, the 3Rs principle, and regulatory frameworks were also part of the discussions.