Dr. D’Amore’s cardiovascular tissue engineering laboratory seeks to couple a mechanistic understanding of the relationship between scaffolds micro-structure, mechanics, and endogenous tissue growth with the development of novel biomaterials for tissue engineering strategies. The focus of our research is upon unmet clinical needs in cardiovascular diseases. The ongoing funded projects (NIH, ERC, industry sponsored) share an integrated in silico, in vitro, in vivo approach where three critical steps in biomimicry are implemented: I) Observe (quantify specific native tissue and organ features); II) Understand (elucidate mechanisms based on the observation made); III) Develop (duplicate the identified properties and mechanisms, fabricate tissue surrogate accordingly and assess its performance).

Aims

Can a mechanistic understanding of how biomaterials and native tissue micro-structure translates into a specific biological response as well as a nature inspired control over biomaterials structure – function lead to a better performing generation of cardiovascular tissue surrogates?”

The statement of our mission reflects our vision of science where basic and translational research are equally fundamental and symbiotic in advancing human knowledge and addressing unmet clinical needs.

The connection of this research question with the Ri.MED Center scientific identity is twofold and bidirectional:

Humans → Environment

The medical devices and cardiovascular tissue engineering strategies we develop aim to enhance human resilience to the threats of the environment which, in this case, are the broad spectrum of cardiovascular diseases.

Humans ←Environment

Our group combines tissue engineering with biomimicry, this paradigm requires operatively and philosophically to study and unfold the complexity of nature, to identify, and ultimately to replicate critical properties for a specific clinical application.

Focus

• Tissue-engineered heart valves
• Tissue-engineered vascular grafts
• Tissue-engineered cardiac patches
• Bioreactors for enhanced extracellular matrix elaboration
• Native/engineered tissue image-based structural and histopathological analysis
• Native/engineered tissue numerical models for mechanics and tissue growth

Expertise and resources

• Engineered tissue and biomaterials fabrication
• Physical, and chemical characterization of native and engineered tissues
• Qualitative and quantitative histological evaluation
• Tissue surrogate models for mechanobiology
• Numerical modeling of tissue function, growth and scaffold degradation
• In vivo characterization of engineered tissue in large and small animal models
• 23 people strong, 150 m2 + of fully equipped wet lab space with focus on material fabrication and characterization

Team

ALUMNI

Post. Doctoral / Senior scientists

1. Dr. T. Dursun Usal, 2024-2025, Ri.MED Foundation, Research Fellowship in Tissue Engineering expert in Numerical Met;
2. Dr. M. Barbuto, 2024-2024, Ri.MED Foundation, Scientist in Biofabrication;
3. Dr J. Soto 2021-2024, Ri.MED Foundation, numerical modeling of engineered mitral valve leaflets and chordal apparatus, ERC-CoG BIOMITRAL.

Ph. D students

1. M. Baccarella 2022 – 2026, (primary advisor) RiMED, University of Palermo and
   University of Pittsburgh, Biofabrication methods and computational approaches applied to cardiovascular tissue engineering scaffolds and in-vitro models;

Undergraduate Master’s students

1. A. Bouwen, 2024-2024, Evaluation of the effect of PANI inclusion in a bilayer-bio-hybrid
   cardiac patch, University of Eindhoven;
2. B. Di Caccamo, 2023-2024, Three-layer vascular graft – optimization process, Politecnico di
   Torino;
3. L. Di Nino, 2023-2024, Design and development of a minimally invasive deployment system, University of Palermo;
4. E. Provenzano, 2023-2023, Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis of a new Mitral Valve
   prosthesis;
5. A. Cardella, 2022-2023, Processing optimization of 3D tissue engineered heart valve scaffold;
6. S. C. Mencaroni, 2023-2023, University of Parma, Three-layer vascular graft – optimization
   process;
7. G. Consiglio, 2022-2023, University of Palermo, Engineering a pressure control device for the intrahepatic stent shunt;
8. M. Gallina, 2022-2023, University of Palermo, Biofabrication of conductive cardiac patches.

Undergraduate Bachelor’s students

1. S. Dei Bardi, 2021-2022, University of Palermo, Italy; scaffold processing for cardiac patch and vascular graft;
2. G. Polizzi, 2021-2022, University of Palermo, Italy; scaffold processing for cardiac patch and vascular graft;