ZODIAC

Zwitterionic mesostructured glasses: powerful devices for bone regeneration.

September 15^th 2017 – September 15^th 2019

Budget: € 150.000

Coordinator: Prof. Sonia Fiorilli

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The effective treatment of bone fractures, especially when the natural remodelling process is compromised (e.g. in case of osteoporosis), still represents a challenging clinical issue. ZODIAC project aims to develop advanced multifunctional biomaterials able to target simultaneously all the causes, often mutually interlocked, of the pathologies related to compromised tissue healing. The research team will develop materials able to combine in a synergic way the therapeutic effects of specific ions and drugs incorporated in their nanoporous structure with the anti-adhesive properties of zwitterionic surfaces (equal number of positive and negative charges), able to act as an energetic and physical barrier to the adsorption of bacteria and their colonization.

The long -term objective of ZODIAC project is the design and development of advanced biomedical devices based on these multifunctional materials, dispersed in an injectable vehicle phase or as coating for implants.

ZODIAC project involves an academic partner with excellent reputation in the field of biomaterials, Prof. María Vallet-Regí from Università Computense di Madrid, and a high-tech company with a wide expertise in design and development of biomedical devices, Nobil Bio Ricerche s.r.l.