SPIR  
Development of an Intelligent Patch for in-situ-biosensing and Restoring Skin Structure and Epidermal Barrier Function
Bando a cascata Ecosister 2024
  active project [2025-2025]
Project Leader: Prof. Luigi Rovati - UNIMORE
Head of IMEM activities: Dr. Giuseppe Tarabella (giuseppe.tarabella@cnr.it)

The main goal of SPIR is the development of advanced smart dressing for wound care treatment. SPIR project aims to integrate the patch developed in Spoke 1 of the Ecosister Project with the sensing systems developed in Spoke 3 by improving the laboratory prototype using bioprinting technology. This new smart patch will allow constant monitoring of the inflammatory state during its application ensuring the possibility of medical intervention at the onset of possible infectious issues. The regenerative potential and functional sensing of the obtained patches will be tested in-vitro and in an ex-vivo skin model using human skin in a space environment (TRL7).

SPIR is articulated in five WPs, each of them aimed at reaching a specific milestone, as follows:

  • WP 1 Project management and dissemination M1-M9. 

 

Leader: UNIMORE; Partners involved: TPM, CNR-IMEM and IEOS-CNR 

Milestone: project kick-off, final reporting, online communication of the project results 

 

  • WP 2 Development of sensing element 

M1-M6. 

Leaders: CNR-IMEM, UNIMORE; Partners involved: TPM and IEOS-CNR 

Milestone: validation of the sensing element. 

 

  • WP 3 Development of SPIR by integration of bioglasses (BG), hydrogel and sensing element 

M1-M7. 

Leader: TPM; Partners involved: UNIMORE, CNR-IMEM and IEOS-CNR 

Milestone: Realization of SPIR prototype, biochemical characterization. 

 

  • WP 4 Biocompatibility assessment of SPIR M3-M9. 

Leader: UNIMORE; Partners involved: TPM and IEOS-CNR 

Milestone: Biocompatibility assessment. 

 

  • WP 5 Evaluation of Wound Regeneration and validation M3-M9.

Leader: IEOS-CNR; Partners involved: UNIMORE, TPM and CNR-IMEM. 

Milestone: Demonstration of SPIR in space environment.

Research units involved into the project:

  • University of Modena and Reggio Emilia - Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, Modena

  • Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism, IMEM-CNR, Parma

  • Technopole “Mario Veronesi”, Mirandola (MO), Democenter Foundation

  • Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology "G. Salvatore" Institute, IEOS-CNR, Naples