Customised DNA-based nanocarriers to boost heart healing - DNABEATS

Project summary

Myocardial infarction and its evolution towards heart failure is a leading cause of death in Europe. No curative treatment aside heart transplantation has been accomplished so far. DNABEATS aims to bring advanced materials to regenerate injured myocardium. Cutting-edge DNA nanotechnology is exploited for the fabrication of fully customised biocompatible DNA-based nanocarriers (DNCs) to achieve the cardio-targeted and efficient delivery of a regenerative microRNA. The therapeutic efficacy of DNCs will be assessed in human-derived cardiac cells, a ground-breaking aspect, that together with an exhaustive in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility investigation, will facilitate their future clinical application and industrial transfer. DNABEATS entails thus benefits for multiple stakeholders from industry to patients and clinicians. Sustainability is also present in the project and different dissemination and exploitation actions are planned to maximise the socio-economic impacts.