Bioengineered in vitro model of retinal pigmented epithelium of human eye - BIOMEMBRANE

Project summary

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly worldwide: although it does not cause total blindness, there is a progressive loss of high-acuity vision attributable to degenerative and neovascular changes in the macula. Currently, there is neither a cure nor a means to prevent AMD. The main objective of BIOMEMBRANE project is the design and fabrication of an alternative and smart in vitro model of retinal pigmented epithelium interfaced to the choroidal vascular network with an engineered Bruch’s membrane (the blood-retinal barrier) to boost the discovery of new therapeutic strategies for AMD. BIOMEMBRANE project will have an important impact on health care costs and will render the European biomaterials, pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries more productive and dynamic, developing an economic in vitro testing system, which will be compliant with regulatory issues and with stringent pre-clinical testing requirements.