A new platform to test treatments for spinal cord damage

Zaida Álvarez

Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain

Spinal cord injuries affect hundreds of thousands of people each year, often resulting in permanent paralysis and a lifetime of physical and emotional challenges. Despite decades of research, effective treatments remain elusive, largely because current models fail to accurately reflect human biology. This project aims to change that by creating a new human-based model to study spinal cord injury and test potential treatments.

Researchers are developing mini human spinal cords, called organoids, grown from stem cells and combined with blood vessel structures to better mimic real tissue. These organoids are placed in a specially designed 3D-printed device that allows scientists to simulate injuries using a computer-controlled force system. This setup enables precise and repeatable studies of how spinal cord injuries occur and how the tissue responds.

The project will also test two existing drugs, Riluzole and Minocycline, using advanced nanoparticles to deliver them directly to the injured tissue. These drugs have shown promise in animal studies, and the new platform will help determine their effectiveness in human-like conditions. The ultimate goal is to create a reliable, non-animal system for drug testing that could accelerate the development of treatments for spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders.

• Juan Alberto Ortega, Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain

• Elena Sánchez, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain

• Antonio Oliviero, Fundación Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos para a Investigación y la Integración, Toledo, Spain
  Spinal Cord Injury Foundation of Madrid (FLM), Spain

Human Vascularized Spinal Cord Organoid Device for Drug Discovery after traumatic injury

€999.559,03