The PRISM-LT project is excited to welcome a new partner to its cross-European team. A team of bioengineering experts from the University of Aveiro joins the project’s consortium through the European Commission Hop-on program to collaborate in shaping the future of engineered living materials in Europe.

Prof. João Mano, vice-director at CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials, leads the COMPASS research group specialising in developing natural-based biomaterials and biomedical devices. Their multidisciplinary approach integrates biomaterials and cells, especially in regenerative and personalised medicine, positioning the University of Aveiro as a unique and valuable contributor to the PRISM-LT project.

“We are truly pleased to become part of PRISM-LT and to contribute with our expertise in biomaterials and cell engineering techniques!” celebrates João.

“We will reinforce the access of state-of-the-art facilities for research in materials science and engineering, and we have a track record in technology transfer, so we are very well positioned to play a crucial role in ensuring the project’s success.”

João and his group are now developing hybrid capsules containing cell carriers with tunable elasticity, enabling the controlled differentiation of stem cells towards muscle, fat, or bone—critical tissues of interest within the PRISM-LT project. “We hope to elevate the project’s hybrid living materials to a new technological maturity level,” says João.

Cross-border initiatives like the Hop-on facility enable research institutions from selected countries to actively engage and collaborate with ongoing research and innovation actions under the EIC’s Pathfinder calls.

This collaboration underscores the importance of such initiatives. It paves the way for innovative breakthroughs that have the potential to shape the future of engineered living materials in the European Union and beyond.