Electro Pulsed Devices for Regeneration of Injuried Spinal Cord: Advanced Modelling of Microdevices and Cells

Electromagnetic fields are used in a growing number of biomedical applications involving functional restoring of neuronal structures. In this context, the European RISEUP project, funded by the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) Open of Horizon Europe Program 2020, proposes the possibility of applying pulsed electric fields to repair Spinal Cord Injuries, taking advantage of the well-established effect of cell membrane electropermeabilization. Specifically, the project aims at the regeneration of the injured spinal cord through the development of an Electro Pulsed Bio-hybrid (EPB) device hosting stem cells. It delivers specific electrical stimulation protocols, based on microsecond pulsed electric fields, that support and guide the differentiation of stem cells to generate a biohybrid cell bridge on the lesion. In this context, advanced computational modelling represents a fundamental step to potentiate the engineering work of design and production of the device, as well as a versatile and flexible tool to reproduce in vitro and in vivo experiments to deepen and explain observed effects on stem cells.