Biomaterials for regenerative therapies

Research Topics

Tissue engineering of bone, vascular and neural tissue / Development of biomaterials for tissue regeneration / Research at the biointerface between surface materials and biological entities / Surface functionalisation / Stem cells research Mesenchimal stem cells differentiation (Bone Regeneration), Endothelial Progenitor cells from Bone Marrow (Angiogenesis and Endothelisation), and Neural progenitor cells (Neural Regeneration)


The Biomaterials for regenerative therapies research group is focused on the development of new third-generation bioactive and biodegradable materials for the treatment of diseased or altered tissues. The strategy used is known as tissue engineering and it involves isolating and cultivating progenitor cells and developing 3D structures or matrices that these cells can use as scaffolds to regenerate the specific tissue. The aim of these scaffolds is not only to provide support for the cells, but also to provide them with physical, chemical and biological signals appropriate to control and guide their activity in order to trigger self-regeneration of the specific tissue in the body.



Electrospun nanofibers of polylactic acid
containing nanoparticles of biodegradable
calcium phosphate glass.







The specific objective of the research lab is to design and develop new material surfaces by means of strategies such as their functionalisation using bioactive peptides or molecules able to mimic the extracellular matrix and promoting adhesion, migration and differentiation of specific cells for every type of tissue. The nano- and microstructure of the surface is also an important signal in terms of cell behaviour and consequently the topographic modification of surfaces may promote desired cell activities, such as preferential adhesion, migration, or even differentiation into cells of a more progenitor lineage. A number of technologies have been developed in order to produce the 3D matrices to be colonised by cells; these include robotic methods of rapid prototyping, electro-spinning and solvent casting.

The group has been working in elucidating the capacity of a composite material to induce angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro and has proposed a model that clarifies the effect of the chemical composition and the mechanical properties of the scaffold on the formation of new vessels. Using the same polymer of the composite, we have used electrospinning to create a network that helps neurons and glial cells to grow in a permissive environment for regeneration. Cells were oriented on the aligned nanofibers and maintained its immature phenotype. Following the same method, microfibers have been functionalised with collagen and fibroblasts have grown successfully creating a biohybrid tissue that can have applications on cornea, skin or ligament repair. Another fabrication method, rapid prototyping technique, has allowed obtaining composite scaffolds with well controlled structures that will be applied to bone tissue regeneration. Finally, polymer based microparticles have been developed to be used for drug and cell delivery. 



Confocal image of a PLGA microparticle of 60 µm.

• Prof. Dr. Josep A. Planell | Group Leader
• Dr. Oscar Castaño | Senior Researcher
• Dr. Elisabeth Engel | Senior Researcher
• Dr. Miguel Angel Mateos | Senior Researcher
• Dr. Melba Navarro | Senior Researcher
• Dr. Soledad Pérez | Postdoctoral Researcher
• Zaida Álvarez Pinto | PhD Student
• Arlyng González Vázquez | PhD Student
• Riccardo Levato | PhD Student
• Xavier Puñet | PhD Student
• Nadège Sachot | PhD Student
• Aitor Sánchez Ferrero | PhD Student
• Tiziano Serra | PhD Student
• Laura Corredor | Master Student
• Juan Crespo | Master Student
• Jacob Holter | Master Student
• Ana Moço | Master Student
• Belén González | Laboratory Technician

• Mattotti, M., Álvarez Pinto, Z., Ortega, J. A., Planell, J. A., Engel, E. & Alcántara, S. (2012). Inducing functional radial glia-like progenitors from cortical astrocyte cultures using micropatterned PMMA. Biomaterials, 33(16), 1759–1770.
• Navarro, M., Pu, F. & Hunt, J. (2012). The significance of the host inflammatory response on the therapeutic efficacy of cell therapies utilising human adult stem cells. Experimental Cell Research, in press, 318(4), 361-370.
• Levato, R., Mateos, M. A. & Planell, J. A. (2012). Preparation of Biodegradable Polylactide Microparticles via a Biocompatible Procedure. Macromol. Biosci.
• Navarro, M. & Planell, J. A (2012). Is nanotechnology the key to unravel and engineer biological processes?. In Navarro, M. & Planell, J. A. (editors), Nanotechnology in Regenerative Medicine. Springer, Humana Press.
• Perut, F., Montufar, B., Ciapetti, G., Santin, M., Salvage, J., Traykova, T., Planell, J. A., P., G. M. & Baldini, N. (2011). Novel soybean/gelatine-based bioactive and injectable hydroxyapatite foam: Material properties and cell response. Acta Biomaterialia, 7(4), 1780-1787.
• Noailly, J., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2011). On the collagen criss-cross angles in the annuli fibrosi of lumbar spine finite element models. Biomech Model Mechanobiol., 10(2), 203-219.
• Pegueroles, M., Aguirre, A., Engel, E., Pavon, G., Gil, F., Planell, J. A., Migonney, V. & Aparicio, C. (2011). Effect of blasting treatment and Fn coating on MG63 adhesion and differentiation on titanium: a gene expression study using real-time RT-PCR. J Mater Sci Mater Med., 22(3), 617-627.
• Navarro, M. & Planell, J. A. (2011). Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration. European Musculoskeletal Reviews, 6(4), 1-5.
• Serra, T., Navarro, M. & Planell, J. A. (2011). Fabrication and characterization of Biodegradable Composite Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering in Innovative developments in virtual and physical prototyping. London : aylor & Francis, CRC Press.
• Aguirre, A., González, A., Planell, J. A. & Engel, E. (2010). Extracellular calcium modulates in vitro bone marrow-derived Flk-1+ CD34+ progenitor cell chemotaxis and differentiation through a calcium-sensing receptor.. Biochem Biophys Res Commun.2, 393, 156-61.
• Navarro, M. & Planell, J. A. (2010). Bioactive Composites Based on Calcium Phosphates for Bone Regeneration. In: Advanced Bioceramics in Nanomedicine and Tissue Engineering (ed. Vallet-Regí, M. and Vila, M.). Laussane, Key Engineering Materials, 441, 203-233.
• Navarro, M. & Michiardi, A. (2010). The Challenge of combining cells, synthetic materials and growth factors to engineer bone tissue. In: Synthetic and Integrative Biology: Parts and Systems, Design Theory and Application (ed. Barnes, J. B. and Harris, L. P.), Nova Science Pub Inc. Biotechnology in Agriculture, Industry and Medicine, 105-121.
• Planell, J. A., Navarro, M., Altankov, G., Aparicio, C., Engel, E., Gil, J., Ginebra, M. P. & Lacroix, D (2010). Materials Surface Effects on Biological Interactions. In Shastri, Prasad, V., Altankov, George, Lendlein & Andreas (editors), Advances in Regenerative Medicine: Role of Nanotechnology, and Engineering Principles. Springer Netherlands.
• Montufar, E., Traykova, T., Schacht, E., Ambrosio, L., Santin, M., Planell, J. A. & Ginebra, M.-P. (2010). Self-hardening calcium deficient hydroxyapatite/gelatine foams for bone regeneration. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 21, 863-869.
• Coelho, N., González-garcía, C., Planell, J. A., Salmerón-Sánchez, M. & Altankov, G. (2010). Different assembly of type IV collagen on hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrata alters endothelial cells interaction. Eur Cell Mater(19), 262-272.
• Noailly, J., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2010). On the collagen criss-cross angles in the annuli fibrosi of lumbar spine finite element models. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology(10), 203-219.
• Milan, J.-L., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2010). Simulation of bone tissue formation within a porous scaffold under dynamic compression. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 9, 583-596.
• Koch, M. A., Vrij, E. J., Engel, E., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2010). Perfusion cell seeding on large porous PLA/calcium phosphate composite scaffolds in a perfusion bioreactor system under varying perfusion parameters. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 95A(4), 1011-1018.
• Aguirre, A., Planell, J. A. & Engel, E. (2010). Dynamics of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cell/mesenchymal stem cell interaction in co-culture and its implications in angiogenesis. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 400(2), 284 - 291.
• Pegueroles, M., Aparicio, C., Bosio, M., Engel, E., Gil, F. J., Planell, J. A. & Altankov, G. (2010). Spatial organization of osteoblast fibronectin matrix on titanium surfaces: Effects of roughness, chemical heterogeneity and surface energy. Acta Biomaterialia, 6(1), 291 - 301.
• Rajzer, I., Castaño, O., Engel, E. & Planell, J. A. (2010). Injectable and fast resorbable calcium phosphate cement for body-setting bone grafts. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 21, 2049-2056.
• Montufar, E. B., Traykova, T., Gil, C., Harr, I., Almirall, A., Aguirre, A., Ginebra, M. P., Engel, E. & Planell, J. A. (2010). Foamed surfactant solution as a template for self-setting injectable hydroxyapatite scaffolds for bone regeneration. Acta Biomaterialia, 6(3), 876 - 885.
• Altankov, G., Groth, T., Engel, E., Gustavsson, J., Pegueroles, M., Aparicio, C., Gil, F. J., Ginebra, M.-P. & Planell, J. A (2010). Development of Provisional Extracellular Matrix on Biomaterials Interface: Lessons from In Vitro Cell Culture. In Shastri, Prasad, V., Altankov, George, Lendlein & Andreas (editors), Advances in Regenerative Medicine: Role of Nanotechnology, and Engineering Principles. Springer Netherlands.
• Jang, J.-H., Castaño, O. & Kim, H.-W. (2009). Electrospun materials as potential platforms for bone tissue engineering. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 61(12), 1065 - 1083.
• Rodríguez-Seguí, S. A., Pla-Roca, M., Engel, E., Planell, J. A., Martínez, E. & Samitier, J. (2009). Influence of fabrication parameters on cellular microarrays for stem cell studies. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 20(7), 1525-1533.
• Malandrino, A., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2009). Statistical factorial analysis on the poroelastic material properties sensitivity of the lumbar intervertebral disc under compression, flexion and axial rotation. Journal of Biomechanics, 42(16), 2780 - 2788.
• Olivares, A., Marsal, È., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2009). Finite element study of scaffold architecture design and culture conditions for tissue engineering. Biomaterials, 30(30), 6142 - 6149.
• Niepel, M. S., Peschel, D., Sisquella, X., Planell, J. A. & Groth, T. (2009). pH-dependent modulation of fibroblast adhesion on multilayers composed of poly(ethylene imine) and heparin. Biomaterials, 30(28), 4939 - 4947.
• Planell, J. A. & Navarro, M (2009). Developing Targeted Biocomposites in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. In Ambrosio, Luigi (editor), Biomedical Composites. Woodhead Publishing. UK.
• Planell, J. A. & Navarro, M (2009). The Challenges of Bone Repair. In Planell, A, J., Best, Lacroix, S. &., Damien, Merolli et al (editors), Bone Repair Biomaterials. Woodhead Publishing. UK.
• Engel, E., Martínez, E., Mills, C. A., Funes, M., Planell, J. A. & Samitier, J. (2009). Mesenchymal stem cell differentiation on microstructured poly (methyl methacrylate) substrates. Annals of Anatomy - Anatomischer Anzeiger, 191(1), 136 - 144.
• Martínez, E., Engel, E., Planell, J. A. & Samitier, J. (2009). Effects of artificial micro and nano structured surfaces on cell behaviour. Annals of Anatomy - Anatomischer Anzeiger, 191(1), 126 - 135.
• Lacroix, D., Planell, J. A. & Prendergast, P. J. (2009). Computer-aided design and finite-element modelling of biomaterial scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 367(1895), 1993-2009.
• Aparicio, C., Salvagni, E., Werner, M., Engel, E., Pegueroles, M., Rodriguez-Cabello, C., Munoz, F., Planell, J. A. & Gil, J. (2009). Biomimetic Treatments on Dental Implants for Immediate Loading Applications. Journal of Medical Devices, 3(2), 027555.
• Milan, J.-L., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2009). Computational modelling of the mechanical environment of osteogenesis within a polylactic acid-calcium phosphate glass scaffold. Biomaterials, 30(25), 4219 - 4226.
• Navarro, M., Michiardi, A., Castaño, O. & Planell, J. A. (2008). Biomaterials in Orthopaedics. Interface, 5(27), 1137-1158.
• Navarro, M., Engel, E., Planell, J. A., Amaral, I., Barbosa, M. & Ginebra, M. (2008). Surface characterization and cell response of a PLA/CaP glass biodegradable composite material. J Biomed Mater Res A., 85(2), 477-86.
• Sandino, C., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2008). A finite element study of mechanical stimuli in scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Journal of Biomechanics, 41(5), 1005-1014.
• Engel, E., del Valle, S., Aparicio, C., Altankov, G., Asín, L., Planell, J. A. & Ginebra, M. (2008). Discerning the role of topography and ion exchange in cell response of bioactive tissue engineering scaffolds.. Tissue Eng Part A. 14, 8, 1341-51.
• Díaz, M., Sevilla, P., Galán, A. M., Escolar, G., Engel, E. & Gil, F. J. (2008). Evaluation of ion release, cytotoxicity, and platelet adhesion of electrochemical anodized 316 L stainless steel cardiovascular stents. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 87B(2), 555-561.
• Benetti, E., Navarro, M., Zapotoczny, S. & Vansco, G (2008). Stimuli Responsive Polymer Brushes. In Förch, R, Schönherr, Jenkins, A.T. (editors), Surface Design: Applications in Bioscience and Nanotechnology. Wiley.
• Navarro, M., Benetti, E. M., Zapotoczny, S., Planell, J. A. & Vancso, G. J. (2008). Buried, Covalently Attached RGD Peptide Motifs in Poly(methacrylic acid) Brush Layers: The Effect of Brush Structure on Cell Adhesion. Langmuir, 24(19), 10996-11002.
• Charles-Harris, M., Koch, M., Navarro, M., Lacroix, D., Engel, E. & Planell, J. (2008). A PLA/calcium phosphate degradable composite material for bone tissue engineering: an in vitro stud. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 19, 1503-1513.
• Engel, E., Michiardi, A., Navarro, M., Lacroix, D. & Planell, J. A. (2008). Nanotechnology in regenerative medicine: the materials side. Trends in Biotechnology, 26(1), 39 - 47.
• Michiardi, A., Engel, E., Aparicio, C., Planell, J. A. & Gil, F. J. (2008). Oxidized NiTi surfaces enhance differentiation of osteoblast-like cells. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 85A(1), 108-114.
• Martínez, E., Engel, E., López-Iglesias, C., Mills, C. A., Planell, J. A. & Samitier, J. (2008). Focused Ion Beam/ SEM characterization of cell behavior on polymer micro/ nanopatterned substrates: study of cell-substrate interactions. Micron, 39(2), 111-6.
• Martínez, E., Ríos-Mondragón, I., Pla-Roca, M., Rodríguez-Segui, S., Engel, E., Mills, C. A., Sisquella, X., Planell, J. A. & Samitier, J. (2007). Cell-Surface Interactions Studies to Trigger Stem Cell Differentiation. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, 3(4), 349 - 349.
• Mills, C., Fernandez, J., Martínez, E., Funes, M., Engel, E., Errachid, A., Planell, J. A. & Samitier, J. (2007). Directional Alignment of MG63 Cells on Polymer Surfaces Containing Point Microstructures. Small, 3(5), 871-879.
• Noailly, J., Wilke, H.-J., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2007). How does the geometry affect the internal biomechanics of a lumbar spine bi-segment finite element model? Consequences on the validation process. Journal of Biomechanics, 40(11), 2414 - 2425.
• Byrne, D. P., Lacroix, D., Planell, J. A., Kelly, D. J. & Prendergast, P. J. (2007). Simulation of tissue differentiation in a scaffold as a function of porosity, Young's modulus and dissolution rate: Application of mechanobiological models in tissue engineering. Biomaterials, 28(36), 5544 - 5554.
• Charles-Harris, M., Valle, S. D., Hentges, E., Bleuet, P., Lacroix, D. & Planell, J. A. (2007). The mechanical and structural characterisation of completely degradable polylactic acid. Biomaterials, 28, 4429-4438.
• Mills, C. A., Martínez, E., Errachid, A., Engel, E., Funes, M., Moormann, C., Wahlbrink, T., Gomila, G., Planell, J. A. & Samitier, J. (2007). Nanoembossed Polymer Substrates for Biomedical Surface Interaction Studies. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 7, 4588-4594(7).
• Roca, D., Lacroix, D., Caja, V. L., Proubasta, I. & Planell, J. A. (2007). Tratamiento quirúrgico de la pseudoartrosis aséptica de la diáfisis humeral. Estudio biomecánico. Rev Ortop Traumatol(51), 118-123.
• Martínez, E., Ríos-Mondragón, I., Pla-Roca, M., Rodríguez-Segui, S., Engel, E., Mills, C. A., Sisquella, X., Planell, J. A. & Samitier, J. (2007). Production of functionalised micro and nanostructured polymer surfaces to trigger mesenchymal stem cell differentiation. Journal of Biotechnology, 131(2, Supplem), S67 - S67.
• Navarro, M., Aparicio, C., Charles-Harris, M., Ginebra, M., Engel, E. & Planell, J. A (2006). Development of a Biodegradable Composite Scaffold for Bone Tissue Engineering: Physicochemical, Topographical, Mechanical, Degradation, and Biological Properties. In Vancso & G. (editors), Ordered Polymeric Nanostructures at Surfaces. Springer Berlin / Heidelberg.
• Mills, C. A., Navarro, M., Engel, E., Martínez, E., Ginebra, M. P., Planell, J., Errachid, A. & Samitier, J. (2006). Transparent micro- and nanopatterned poly(lactic acid) for biomedical applications. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 76A(4), 781-787.
• Traykova, T., Aparicio, C., Ginebra, M. P. & Planell, J. A. (2006). Bioceramics as nanomaterials. Nanomedicine, 1, 91-106.
• Sanginario, V., Ginebra, M., Tanner, K., Planell, J. A. & Ambrosio, L. (2006). Biodegradable and semi-biodegradable composite hydrogels as bone substitutes: morphology and mechanical characterization. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 17, 447-454.
• Lacroix, D., Chateau, A., Ginebra, M.-P. & Planell, J. A. (2006). Micro-finite element models of bone tissue-engineering scaffolds. Biomaterials, 27(30), 5326 - 5334.
• Charles-Harris, M., Aparicio, C., Navarro, M., Engel, E., Ginebra, M. & Planell, J. A. (2005). Surface characterization of completely degradable composite scaffolds. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 16, 1125-1130.
• Navarro, M., Barrias, C., Engel, E., Barbosa, M., Ginebra, M. & Planell, J. A. (2005). In vitro degradation behaviour of a novel bioresorbable composite material based on PLA and a soluble CaP glass_1. Acta Biomaterialia, 1, 411-419.
• Navarro, M., Ginebra, M., Planell, J. A., Zeppetelli, S. & Ambrosio, L. (2004). Development and cell response of a new biodegradable composite scaffold for guided bone regeneration. J Mater Sci Mater Med., 15(4), 419-22.

Projects

• A Systems approach to tissue engineering processes and products
• Engineering advanced polymeric surfaces for smart systems in biomedicine, biology, materials science and nanotechnology: A cross-disciplinary approach of Biology, Chemistry and Physics
• ANGIOSCAFF Highly Porous Bioactive Scaffolds Controlling Angiogenesis for Tissue Engineering (2008-2012) Josep A. Planell
• DISC REGENERATION Novel Biofunctional High Porous Polymer Scaffolds and Techniques Controlling Angiogenesis for the Regeneration and Repair of the Degenerated Intervertebral Disc (2008-2012) Josep A. Planell
• BIOFUSS Materiales biofuncionalizados para reparación y regeneración de tejidos (2009-2011) Josep A. Planell
• Evaluación biológica de materiales bioactivos, biomiméticos y multifuncionales para la regeneración ósea (2010- 2012) Elisabeth Engel
• Desarrollo de nuevos biomateriales para regeneración ósea (2008-2010) Josep A. Planell
  

Collaborations

• Prof. James Kirkpatrick Institute of Pathology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz (Germany)


• Prof. Francesco Serino Department of Vascular Surgery, Istituto Dermatologico dell’Immacolata (IDI), Rome (Italy)


• Dr. Mário Barbosa Instituto Nacional de Engenharia Biomédica (INEB), Oporto (Portugal)


• Dr. Jerónimo Blanco Institut de Ciències Cardiovasculars de Catalunya and CSIC, Barcelona (Spain)


• Dr. María Vallet Regí Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain).


• Dr. Josefa P. García-Ruiz Centro de Biologia Molecular “Severo Ochoa”, CSIC-UAM and Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain)


• Dr. Matilde Alonso Dept. de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Valladolid (Spain).


• Dr. Soledad Alcántara Grup de Desenvolupament Neural, IDIBELL, University of Barcelona (Spain)


• Dr. Alvaro Mata Plataforma de Nanotecnología, Barcelona (Spain)


• Dr. Joelle Amedee INSERM, Bordeaux (France)


• Dr. José Carlos Rodríguez-Cabello Dept. Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Valladolid, Spain


• Dr. Julio San Román Dept. of Biomaterials, Institute of Polymer Science and Technology, CSIC, Madrid, Spain


• Dr. Patrick J. Prendergast Trinity Centre for Bioengineering, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland


• Dra. Julia Bujan Dept. de Ciencias Morfológicas y Cirugía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain


• Dra. Nuria Villaboa Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain


• Dra. Anita Ignatius Institut für Unfallchirurgische Forschung und Biomechanik, University of Ulm, Germany


• Dra. Margarita Calonge Institute of Ophthalmobiology (IOBA), University of Valladolid, Spain


• Dr. Jeffrey Hubbell Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland


• Dr. Manuel Doblaré Group of Structural Mechanics and Materials Modelling, Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Spain


• Dr. Mateo Santin School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Great Britain


• Dr. Juan Bellón Dept. de Cirugía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain


• Dr. Juan Rojo Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain


• Dr. Luigi Ambrosio Centro di Recerca Interdipartimental Biomateriali, Università di Napoli, Italy


• Dr. Francisco Blanco Complejo Universitario Juan Canalejo, La Coruña, Spain


• Dr. Nick Rhodes Dept. of Clinical Engineering, University of Liverpool, Great Britain


• Dr. Etiene Schach Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Research Group, Ghent University, Belgium


• Dr. G.J. Vancso

  Materials Science and Technology of Polymers and MESA+, Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, The Netherlands

• Ion selective electrodes for Ca2+, Na+, K+, and pH
• Vibrational viscosimeter
• Spin-coater
• Electrospinning device
• Combustion furnace
• Peptide synthetiser
• Surface characterization equipments

  Contact angle, Z potential, Quartz Crystal Microbalance, Nanoindentator

• Molecular Biology equipment:

  Protein and DNA electrophoresis

• Biotool (Rapid prototyping)(part of the Production of biomaterials and nanoparticles platform of the CIBER-bbn) http://www.ciber-bbn.es/programas/plataformas/equipamiento/biomateriales?nodo=nodo2&locale=en
• Thermocycler (PCR)
• Cell culture facilities

27/02/2012

Developing a new solution to treat atherosclerosis

We’ve all eaten rich meals or fatty foods and joked that we can feel our ‘arteries hardening’. However, the reality of atherosclerosis – when fat, cholesterol, and other substances build up in the artery walls and form solid structures called plaques – is no joking matter. The consequences of this disorder can include stroke and coronary artery disease, the leading cause of death in many developed countries.

 

08/02/2012

Green light for regeneration projects

The two IBEC-led CIBER-BBN tissue regeneration projects that were earmarked for funding by the EU's ERA-NET EuroNanoMed initiative last year (see www.ibecbarcelona.eu/IBEC-News/funding-success-for-two-ibec-projects.html) have both received the national support they need to get started.

5/01/2012

New year, new name

IBEC director Josep Planell’s research group has changed its name and is now known as the Biomaterials for Regenerative Therapies group.

17/12/2010

IBEC director elected to the Royal Academy of Science and Arts of Barcelona

In the beautiful surroundings of Academy House on Rambla dels Estudis last night, IBEC director Josep Planell was elected as Academician of the Royal Academy of Science and Arts of Barcelona (RACAB).

16/12/2010

‘Biowaffle’ wins Image of the Year 2010

The lucky winners of the Image of the Year 2010 competition received their prizes today.

03/12/2010

The regeneration game

Tackling tissue morphogenesis in humans

 

20/10/2010

www.noticiascadadia.com: "Oportunidades de crecimiento de los biomateriales en las tecnologías médicas"

An announcement on www.noticiascadadia.com about 20 October's Biocat-organised meeting on 'Biomateriales: de la biónica hacia la regeneración y las terapias avanzadas' at the Museo Colet in Barcelona.

27/08/2009

The Guardian Supplement: Nanotechnology 2009 – Part 1

Josep Planell, Director of the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, explains his work on tissue regeneration at the nanoscale.

16/09/2007

Entrevista a Josep A. Planell al diari El Mundo

El passat 16 de setembre, el diari El Mundo, dins el seu suplement de Biotecnologia, va publicar una entrevista a Josep A. Planell, director de l'IBEC.