MU
Maastricht University
Maastricht University is the most international university in the Netherlands and is considered one of the best young universities in the world, standing out for its innovative education model, international character and multidisciplinary approach to research and education. MU has a long track record in the micro and nano fabrication of 3D cell culture devices and use thereof in several biological applications, spanning from more fundamental developmental biology studies to more applied 3D in vitro models, such as the lung-on-a-chip technology. MU has also a long track record on biofabrication technologies for regenerative medicine applications, having reached the clinic in the fields of both bone and cartilage regeneration.
The MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine is one of the research institutes of excellence of MU. MERLN operates at the interface between biology and engineering for the purpose of regenerating diseased or damaged tissues. The institute has an international reputation for technological innovation and for translating research findings into clinical solutions for patients. It counts 130 scientists working in state-of-the-art facilities. MERLN benefits from a close collaboration with the academic hospital and the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences. MERLN Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration (CTR), in particular, takes part in Interlynk. CTR is specialized in fabrication techniques such as biofabrication and microfabrication, and also has significant expertise in light microscopy and methods for studying cell behaviour within complex microenvironments.
Key Persons
Lorenzo Moroni
Lorenzo Moroni is a founding member and deputy director of MERLN, where he chairs the Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration. He is also a full professor in Biofabrication for Regenerative Medicine at MU. He is an expert in the design and development of 3D scaffolds for tissue regeneration, and in new biofabrication technologies to generate libraries of 3D scaffolds able to control cell fate or to create in vitro 3D models to study breast cancer formation and metastasis. In recognition of his work in these fields, he was awarded several prestigious prizes, such as the European doctorate prize in Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering and the Jean Leray award from the European Society of Biomaterials, and the Young Investigator Award from the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS). Moroni is also elected faculty of the Young Academy of Europe.
Carlos Mota
Carlos Mota is an assistant professor at the MERLN Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration of the University of Maastricht. He holds a PhD degree in Biomaterials. Mota is an expert in the field of biofabrication, bioprinting and construction of additive manufacturing technologies, as well as in their use in the fabrication of polymeric 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. He has also experience in the development of multiwell array platforms for high content, in vitro and in vivo screenings of small molecules and biopharmaceutical for cancer therapy. Mota is also a member of the International Society for Biofabrication.
Monize Caiado Decarli
Joanna Babilotte developed a great interest in bone tissue engineering and 3D printing technologies over her 9 years of academic formation and past work experiences. She defended her PhD in 2021 at BioTis laboratory in Bordeaux (Bordeaux University). Her work aimed to develop an innovative 3D scaffold for bone repair by organizing osteoprogenitor cells inside the scaffold through a layer-by-layer approach. Following her desire to expand her expertise, she joined the MERLN institute as a postdoc. Her new challenge is to develop a multimaterial scaffold for temporomandibular joint reconstruction. The idea here is to associate innovative materials and combine different additive manufacturing technologies to create new solutions that will meet clinical expectations.