The InVENTS consortium is composed by:

3B’s Research Group (Coordinator), Portugal
The 3B’s Research Group – Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics of U. Minho, aims at developing new materials to be used on a range of biomedical and environmental applications. Its research is focused on the development of new polymeric and composite BIOMATERIALS from natural origin and mainly from renewable resources (starch, casein, soy, chitin, chitosan, algae, silk fibroin, and others). Several BIODEGRADABLE systems have been proposed and others are being studied for a range of biomedical applications related with bone replacement and fixation, partially degradable bone cements, tissue engineering scaffolding and tissue regeneration, systems for controlled delivery of drug of bioactive agents, and environmental degradable plastics. Tissue engineering and the development of controlled delivery systems are two of the most important research areas. The group makes use of a research approach on which the researchers always try to learn from nature to understand its function and mimic them, by design innovative BIOMIMETIC processing routes and materials. All the research is in the interface between materials science engineering, chemistry, life sciences and biotechnology, and involves a strong network of international partners. Simultaneously, the 3B’s research group is an international team of around 70 researchers combining a wide range of different nationalities.

At the present moment, 3B’s Research Group is also the co-coordinator of a major EU research project, funded under FP6, the STREP “HIPPOCRATES - A Hybrid Approach for Bone and Cartilage Tissue Engineering Using Natural Origin Scaffolds, Progenitor Cells and Growth Factors”. Furthermore, 3B’s Research Group group also coordinates the only European Network of Excellence (NoE) on Tissue Engineering, “EXPERTISSUES - Novel Therapeutic Strategies for Tissue Engineering of Bone and Cartilage Using Second Generation Biomimetic Scaffolds”, that was approved on the first call of FP6. In addition, this research group from U.Minho is also concerned with the formation of young researchers. The Marie Curie Early Stage Training Multi-site project “ALEA JACTA EST - Shaping the Future of a New Generation of Hybrid Human Resources for the Tissue Engineering of Connective Tissues” (total budget of 2.6 MEuros) is coordinated by the 3B’s research Group and aims to create a multi-site PhD programme.

Rui L. Reis, the 3B’s research group director, is Associate Professor at the Dept. of Polymer Engineering at University of Minho located in the Northern part of Portugal. Rui L. Reis is an author of more than 130 papers on scientific journals, 1 international patent, 3 books, 4 journal special issues, around 90 book chapters in books of international circulation and on international Encyclopaedias, and more than 400 communications in conferences. Around 370 of those communications were presented in international meetings (in several countries in Europe, USA, Australia, Canada, Japan, Israel, Cuba, Singapore, etc.), including around 50 plenary or invited talks.

Links

	3B’s Research Group
	Network of Excellence (NoE) on "Novel Therapeutic Strategies for Tissue Engineering of Bone and Cartilage Using Second Generation Biomimetic Scaffolds"
	Specific targeted research project on "A  hybrid approach for bone and cartilage tissue engineering using natural origin scaffolds, progenitor cells and growth factors"
	Marie Curie Early Stage Research Training on “Shaping the Future of a New Generation of Hybrid Human Resources for the Tissue Engineering of Connective Tissues”

CSIC - Institute of Polymer Science and Technology, Spain
The main research area of CSIC participant is chemical modification of polymers. This partner is world-wide recognised as a specialist in chemical modification of polymers for biomedical applications and in designing novel drug delivery systems. Additionally, they posssess advanced equipment for the chemical preparation of novel polymeric systems. This includes the most modern techniques for the study of the reactivity and functionalisation of monomers and natural and synthetic polymers, covering a wide range of possibilities, from high vacuum techniques (for reactions in controlled atmosphere or in the absence of oxygen), to very high pressure installations (up to 250 atmospheres) for operations of impregnation and reactions using clean supercritical technologies (supercritical CO2). They also have the more important and modern polymer characterisation techniques. This solid expertise in the polymer chemistry domain justifies the coordination of the practical training course on “Polymer chemistry and controlled drug delivery”. Julio San Roman is one of the main experts in the world in the fields of polymer chemistry for biomedical applications and controlled drug delivery. The Prof. Julio San Roman has published more than 200 papers and many book chapters in this area.

The Institute of Polymer Science and Technology have enough infrastructures for the development of a course with up to 100 participants, with modern media for presentations and facilities for computer aided conferences. There is a tradition in the organization of national and international conferences in topics related with polymers for advanced applications, nanotechnologies, developments in biomaterials and biomaterials-tissue relationship, as well as in the field of controlled delivery systems based on polymeric (natural and synthetic), and interactions of biomaterials with cells and living tissues. The Institute is very well situated in the centre of Madrid, and very well communicated with all the most important buildings of the city. Therefore, provides an excellent meeting point for students, specialists and lecturers.

Links

CSIC - Institute of Polymer Science and Technology

Interdisciplinary Center of Clinical Research on Biomaterials “IZKF BIOMAT”, University Hospital, Germany
The main research area of IZKF BIOMAT is cell and molecular biology of biomaterials testing. Also, this group has experience in the following topics: (i) mobilization of mesenchymal stem cells and their application in tissue engineering and (ii) molecular mechanism of pathological calcification. This group is well recognised as a specialist in cell and molecular biology of interfaces. Additionally, they own advanced equipment for molecular biology, DNA, RNA and protein analysis, expression and purification of recombinant proteins, antibody production, purification and analysis, polyclonal and monoclonal enzyme immunoassays. Also, they possess the technology to produce and analyze transgenic mice and gene knockouts aimed at study human diseases. The director of this research group, Prof. Wilhelm Jahnen-Dechent has published more than 100 papers in this area.

The main equipment available at IZKF BIOMAT for the course on “Tissue engineering, stem cells and biocompatibility testing of biomaterials” includes advanced equipment for the cell and molecular biology of biomaterials testing such as cell reporter assays, with flow work benches, CO2-incubators, stationary culture and flow-reactors. For this MCPTC the molecular biology equipments available are those involved in the DNA, RNA and Protein Analysis as well as those for DNA cloning and sequencing, i.e., RT and real time PCR; Western and Nothern Blot; One- and Two- Dimensional Protein Gel Electrophoresis, etc.

Links

	Interdisciplinary Center of Clinical Research on Biomaterials “IZKF BIOMAT”, University Hospital, Germany
	Rheinisch-Westfsche Technische Hochschule Aachen
	Dept of Biomedical Engineering, Biointerface Laboratory
	Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Cell Biology