2021 Team
3D Spinal Implants
Matricelf is a biotechnology company in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. We are developing a platform for autologous tissues and organs engineering that significantly reduce the risk of implant rejection. Using a biopsy from the patient we develop engineered personalized tissues (cells and scaffold) that we can 3D print, inject or simply place where needed.
In 2019, we printed, for the first time in human history, a three-dimensional human heart from human tissue. This scientific breakthrough pioneers the era of engineered and 3D printed organs transplantations and the end of interminable pursuit for live organ transplantation. The company performed successful pre-clinical studies in a number of medical conditions such as Acute Myocardial Infarction, Parkinson's Disease, Age related Macular Degeneration and more.
The first indication the company is aiming to treat is Spinal Cord Injury. Each year, there are tens of thousands of new cases of traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries that lead to paralysis. The fact that SCI patients have no cure and are expected to spend their life in a wheelchair, has dramatic medical, economic and social impact, This life changing event for the patient and his family, resulting in a significant burden for the medical and social public systems, motivated us to further develop the technology of SCI implant generation.
In our pre-clinical animal studies, mice treated with our implants regained their walking ability both in acute and chronic spinal cord injury models. Just imagine that our technology will make paralyzed people regain their walking abilities!
Team Lead
Asaf Toker
Affiliation
Johns Hopkins University
Lead Mentors
Arthur Hiller
Barry Stein
Paul Hartung
Review Materials
Matricelf Oral Presentation
Matricelf Presentation Worksheet
