BIO-Testing
In the module ”BIO-Testing”, a novel biotesting procedure is to be developed. This procedure is intended to permit the high throughput screening of the materials relevant to implant research and biomedical technology - for example, with respect to biocompatibility, toxicity and immunological effects. For this purpose, standard initial tests will be developed, that allow rapid pre-screening of large numbers of samples. The tests used will first be tested on commercially available cell lines with respect to their suitability for the test material. They will be standardised as precisely as possible and formulated as a so-called “Standard Operating Procedure”, orientated towards the Iso Norms relevant for certification. They can be repeatedly used in this form or made available to other research groups. Once specific materials have been shown to be suitable, fine screening will be performed at the cellular and molecular level. These tests should allow reproducible and standardised testing of materials and constructs in NIFE and lead to optimised search for materials in implant research. These tests should be performed in mammalian cells (e.g. human cells), if at all possible also in the primary cells from the corresponding tissue. In so-called “complex screening”, dynamic tests are developed, e.g. in 3D cell culture, for the simulation of the in vivo situation of specific materials and then applied. The overall objective of this module is to optimise implants with respect to their biocompatibility in the human body. In addition, a reliable system is to be developed to mark implanted or transplanted tissue, in order to be able to identify the tissue in the recipient in the long-term. An individual cell-specific signature will be defined and inserted into the relevant tissue, either biologically or artificially. For example, if the recipient falls ill, such a tracing system can be used to investigate whether this is related to the implant.
