The Eurostars3 project (Project title: 3D-BioDegBone, Contract number: 2022-1.2.7-EUROSTARS-2022-00003), in which the University of Pécs (UP) participates as a member of the international development consortium, has been launched with the first professional consultation on the production of an additive manufacturing material for special medical purposes. The 3D Printing Visualisation Centre led by Dr Péter Maróti, and the 3D Bioprinting Research Group led by Professor Judit Pongrácz Faculty of Pharmacy, both at the UP participate in the implementation, while the foreign partner and leader of the consortium is the Turkish AddPark/Trabtech, an internationally renowned research and development company. On the Hungarian entrepreneurial side, the consortium includes Premet Ltd., a company producing person specific dental and maxillofacial implants by 3D Printing. The aim of the collaboration is to develop and produce a new polymer-based bioactive additive manufacturing material for implantable cranio-maxillofacial (skull, face, and jaw) implants, mainly for children in need of such surgeries.

The UP's 3D Printing Visualisation Centre is involved in the development of 3D printing process optimalisation and related high-precision measurements and material testing through the centre's materials testing laboratory. In parallel, the 3D Bioprinting Research Group at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology is investigating cytotoxicity and biocompatibility, as well as cellularization of the printed scaffolds, and is involved in the development of related animal models. Another key benefit of the collaboration is that the 3D Centre will provide an opportunity for students from the Faculty of Medicine and from the Biomedical Engineering MSc programme, while the 3D Bioprinting Research Group Faculty of Pharmacy makes it possible for Biotechnology BSc and MSc studentsto participate in the research activities and to gain hands-on experience in a real-world medical project.

Eurostars3 programme is a European call for proposals for SMEs as part of the European Partnership for Innovative SMEs, co-funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme. It aims to strengthen European competitiveness, create new jobs, and support innovative SMEs and project partners (large companies, universities, and research organisations). Successful partners (as a consortium) will receive between €0.5 and €1.5 million in technology and product development funding, of which SMEs typically receive between 50% and 60%. The funding for the University of Pécs from this call will amount to approximately €320 000.

More information can be found on the following links:

https://www.techfunding.eu/eurostars

https://www.eurekanetwork.org/countries/italy/eurostars/

https://pte3d.hu/

https://english.mik.pte.hu/biomedical-engineering-msc

https://gytk.pte.hu/hu/menupont/10037

https://aok.pte.hu/biotechnologia-msc

https://www.premet.hu

https://www.btech.com.tr/en/home/