ESC Paul Hugenholtz Lecture in Innovation
Innovating biomaterials for tissue repair, advanced therapeutics and early disease detection
30 Aug 2024
The presenter of this year’s ESC Paul Hugenholtz Lecture in Innovation is Professor Dame Molly Stevens (University of Oxford - Oxford, UK), whose multidisciplinary research – balancing the investigation of fundamental science with the development of technologies and designer biomaterials – is helping to translate scientific innovation into practical solutions.
What are the key themes of your lecture?
Smart biomaterials are really transforming regenerative medicine, advanced therapeutics and biosensing in exciting ways. They offer innovative solutions that mimic natural biological processes, enhance targeted drug delivery and enable precise disease diagnostics. This not only speeds up healing and recovery but also opens up new possibilities for personalised medicine and improved healthcare outcomes.
In my talk, I will give an overview of our broad portfolio of innovative material solutions. We leverage smart biomaterials to develop complex in vitro 3D models, crucial for studying disease processes and testing drugs. They mimic real tissues better than traditional methods, providing more accurate insights and speeding up the development of effective treatments. We also develop novel delivery systems, from nanoneedles to nanoparticles, revolutionising how we deliver therapies. These advanced methods ensure precise, targeted delivery of treatments, improving effectiveness and reducing side effects. Novel nanomaterials also enable extremely sensitive and accessible point-of-care diagnostic devices, allowing for early disease detection and more effective healthcare for all. We furthermore develop tools to push research boundaries and aid translation. For example, our patented SPARTA™ technique reveals the physical and chemical properties of single nanoparticles, from commercial nanoformulations to biological extracellular vesicles, opening up a broad range of capabilities from biomarker discoveries to enhanced quality control across various industries and beyond.
What are the most important challenges?
Translating cutting-edge research into clinical applications poses significant challenges, particularly in balancing innovation with accessibility. While breakthroughs in labs hold promise for transformative treatments, the path to clinical use involves rigorous testing, regulatory hurdles and often substantial costs. These challenges can delay or deter the integration of new therapies into mainstream healthcare, limiting their availability to those who need them most.
Innovations must not only prove effective and safe but also be affordable and widely accessible to diverse populations. Achieving this balance requires combining scientific advancement with strategic partnerships, policy advocacy and innovative financing models. Efforts towards the democratisation of healthcare aim to bridge these gaps, ensuring that new treatments reach underserved communities and diverse patient populations.
We strive to establish effective translational pipelines and engagement in efforts towards healthcare democratisation and we aim to streamline the journey from research bench to patient bedside. This approach both accelerates the adoption of cutting-edge treatments and aims to make them affordable and accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographic location.
What are the most promising avenues of research in your field?
There are many, each poised to significantly impact diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes. One promising area focuses on creating functional cardiovascular tissues using biomaterial scaffolds and cells. This approach aims to repair or replace damaged heart muscle, valves or blood vessels, potentially offering new therapeutic options for conditions that currently have limited treatment alternatives.
Another exciting avenue involves designing biomaterial-based carriers for targeted and controlled delivery of medications directly to affected cardiovascular tissues. This method enhances treatment efficacy and also minimises side effects, by ensuring drugs reach their intended targets more effectively.
Furthermore, advancements in ultrasensitive and multiplexed point-of-care diagnostics hold great promise. These technologies can improve the accuracy of CVD diagnosis, enable better stratification of patients based on disease severity and response to therapies, and support clinical decision-making in complex conditions.
Innovative smart biomaterials are really paving the way towards a future where personalised medicine, advanced therapeutics and precise diagnostics converge to transform healthcare outcomes for everyone.
Don’t miss!
- ESC Paul Hugenholtz Lecture in Innovation: Saturday, 08:15–09:00; Helsinki
