DISC: Novel intervertebral disc prostheses

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 01.0224-1

Key words (English)

Nucleus pulposus; synthetic biomimetic hydrgels; poly(ethylene glycol); bioactive peptides; proteolytic degradation;
Industrial Manufacture; Materials Technology

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: G5RD-CT-2000-00267

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.3.8 Generic R&D activities

Short description (English)

See abstract

Further information (English)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise:
ETH Zürich
Institut für Biomedizinische Technik
ETH Zentrum

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Roma (I)

Abstract (English)

Back pain is the number one problem facing the workforce in industrialized Countries today. Low back pain is the second most common cause of missed work days, it is the leading cause of disability between the ages of 19-45, it is the number one leading impairment in occupational injuries and eight out of ten people will have a problem with back pain at some time during their lives. Inter-vertebral disc degeneration is one of the major causes of low back pain. However no fully suitable products or surgical techniques exists to date for inter-vertebral disc reconstruction. Imitation of human Inter-vertebral disc by developing tissue-engineering technologies could help to solve the abovementioned problems. By using a problem solving approach, the proposers aim to carry out a breakthrough research to mimic the natural structure of the disc tissues and to engineer bio-functional devices, which assure durability, safety and easy surgical implantation.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 01.0224-1