📍 April 2026 | Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Several InjectHeal research groups proudly participated in the prestigious TERMIS-EU 2026 Conference, held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, from April 21–24, 2026, one of the most important international events in the field of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM).

🗣️The Conference

Organized by the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society, the congress brought together leading academic researchers, clinicians, and industry experts under the theme: “Accelerating multidisciplinary innovation to close the gap in clinical translation”

This year’s edition hosted more than 1,500 professionals, over 850 scientific presentations, and more than 400 young investigators, confirming its role as a key international platform for scientific exchange and collaboration in regenerative medicine.

Particular attention during the congress was devoted to the treatment of chronic wounds, a major clinical and socio-economic challenge in regenerative medicine due to their increasing incidence and the complexity of their management. Several sessions focused on innovative biomaterials, advanced drug delivery systems, antimicrobial strategies, and immunomodulatory approaches aimed at improving tissue repair and reducing infection risk. This strong scientific focus closely aligns with the core objectives of the InjectHeal project, which is dedicated to the development of advanced injectable platforms for the treatment of chronic and difficult-to-heal wounds.

👥 InjectHeal Presence

Several young researchers from UPO (Università del Piemonte Orientale) actively participated in the poster sessions, presenting their latest results and engaging with the international scientific community. Their contribution demonstrated the strong commitment of InjectHeal to the training and visibility of early-career scientists.

The participation of the Politecnico di Torino (POLITO) group was particularly significant, with a large delegation contributing to scientific discussions across multiple sessions.

🏆 Special Recognitions

A special highlight of the congress was the recognition of Prof. Valeria Chiono, Full Professor of Bioengineering at Politecnico di Torino, who received the prestigious TERMIS-EU 2026 Mid-Term Career Award, one of the most important recognitions in the field for researchers 10–20 years after their PhD who have established outstanding scientific leadership and successful research groups.

Prof. Chiono delivered her award lecture entitled: “At the Crossroads of Biomaterials and RNA: New Frontiers in Cardiac Regeneration”

On this occasion, the TERMIS-EU PhD Thesis Award was awarded to Dr. Francesca Tivano (POLITO), recognizing the outstanding quality and impact of her research.

This awards represents an important recognition not only of her scientific excellence, but also of the strength of the collaborative ecosystem connecting biomaterials, regenerative medicine, and translational bioengineering within the InjectHeal network.

The strong presence of InjectHeal at TERMIS-EU 2026 confirms the project’s growing international visibility and its commitment to advancing innovative strategies for tissue regeneration, biomaterials development, and clinical translation.

Publication | Journal: Biomaterials Science | January 2026 | DOI: 10.1039/d5bm01302j

📄 About the publication:

The design of drug delivery systems (DDS) for efficient and sustained in situ antioxidant treatment is a key challenge in regenerative medicine. In this work, the authors developed innovative and sustainable injectable hydrogels based on oxidized pectin (PDA) and carbohydrazide-modified gelatin (G-CDH) for the controlled release of curcumin-loaded zein nanoparticles (CurZNPs).

The resulting system showed high encapsulation efficiency, sustained drug release, and strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. The hydrogels were engineered through combined physical and chemical crosslinking, enabling tunable rheological properties and excellent stability under physiological conditions.

Notably, these materials exhibited injectability, shear-thinning behavior, and self-healing capability, while supporting fibroblast viability and attachment. CurZNP-loaded hydrogels also promoted cell recovery under oxidative stress and demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects in macrophage models.

Overall, these injectable PDA/G-CDH hydrogels represent a promising and biocompatible DDS for controlled antioxidant delivery.

Authors: Valeria Chiono, Elena Marcello, Camilla Paoletti, Alice Zoso, Clara Mattu, Irene Carmagnola and Francesca Tivano – BIOINSIDE Lab, DIMEAS, Politecnico di Torino.

🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/dXZhxMen

📍 February 2026 | Lausanne, Switzerland

From 3 to 5 February 2026, the INJECTHEAL project was represented at the MDDB Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland. During the poster session, our partners SUPSI presented their work, sharing key advances about their contribution to the project with the scientific community.

About the poster:

The poster showcased the development of advanced computational models designed to analyse and predict the mechanical behaviour of self-healing hydrogels based on oxidized pectin and gelatin — the core biomaterials behind INJECTHEAL’s innovative approach to chronic wound treatment.

The Team:

• Prof. Andrea Danani – Professor of Computational Science, Intelligent Control for Systems and Networks Area, Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence USI-SUPSI, Head of the Computational Biophysics Group
• Dr. Filip Stojeski – Post Doc researcher, Intelligent Control for Systems and Networks Area, Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence USI-SUPSI, member of the Computational Biophysics Group.
• Dr. Marcello Miceli – Post Doc researcher, Intelligent Control for Systems and Networks Area, Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence USI-SUPSI, member of the Computational Biophysics Group.

🔗 Learn more about the MDDB Conference: https://mddbr.eu/conference/

The INJECTHEAL project has released its official Patient Brochure. This tri-fold brochure has been designed to provide clear, accessible information for patients and end‑users, highlighting the project’s social impact and the benefits of the innovative self‑healing injectable hydrogel for chronic wound care.

Download the complete brochure here

The official INJECTHEAL brochure is now accessible online. It provides a comprehensive overview of the project’s objectives, innovative technology, target groups, consortium structure, and key contact information.

Download the complete brochure here

Novara, 22/09/2025 – On Friday, September 26, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., the “G. Cattaneo” Auditorium (via Perrone 18, Novara) will host a public round table titled “HEALing Starts Here: INJECTHEAL Roundtable on Chronic Wounds and Patient-Centered Innovation.” The roundtable has been organised in the framework of the “First Consortium Meeting” of the INJECTHEAL project, coordinated by Professor Lia Rimondini, Head of the Department of Health Sciences of the University of Eastern Piedmont.

The event will be attended by researchers, experts, and representatives of Italian and foreign institutions benefiting from the INJECTHEAL project, to discuss the research topic covered by the project, namely the development of new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of chronic wounds. Chronic wounds are still a significant clinical condition and affect a large percentage of the world’s population (over 1%). This condition has a major impact on patients’ quality of life and entails significant costs for healthcare systems.

Chronic wounds remain an ongoing challenge for medicine, as current treatment practices have significant limitations in terms of effectiveness, particularly in relation to controlling infections and inflammation and supporting tissue regeneration.

The aim of the INJECTHEAL project is to provide a concrete response to these shortcomings by developing a 4D injectable hydrogel designed for the targeted release of active ingredients into complex wounds and to support tissue regeneration processes, contributing to the reduction of inflammatory and infectious processes. The hydrogel will be developed using sustainable materials, with the aim of offering an advanced therapeutic option, particularly for “deep tunnel” wounds.

The round table will feature:

Menico Rizzi, Rector of the University of Piedmont

Ellie Lindsay, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Honorary Professor, The College of Phlebology, London

Matteo Santin, Professor of Tissue Regeneration at the University of Brighton, UK

Mohammad Raoufi: Associate Senior Scientist at the University of Siegen, entrepreneur, and recognized expert in the field of CW

Elham Sharifikolouei, Researcher at the Department of Health Sciences at University of Eastern Piedmont

Lia Rimondini, Director of DISS and coordinator of INJECTHEAL.

The event will be held in English and is open to the public.

OUR PARTNERS

Universities:

• Università del Piemonte Orientale (UPO), Italy
• Universität Siegen (US), Germany
• Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Ireland
• University of Brighton (UoB), UK
• Politecnico di Torino (POLITO), Italy
• Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI), Switzerland

Research Centres:

• Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft MbH (JR), Austria
• Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – INGENIO (INGE), Spain

SMEs:

• EU CORE Consulting (EUCORE), Italy
• Akribes Biomedical GmbH (AKR), Austria
• Tissue Click Ltd. (TC), UK

Charities:

• The Lindsay Leg Club Foundation (LCF), UK

Download the press release in English here

Download the press release in Italian here

The first INJECTHEAL Consortium Meeting, organised by the University of Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro”, will take place in Novara, Italy, on 25–26 September 2025. 

This event will give partners the chance to meet in person for the first time to discuss project progress.

Participants will also be given a tour of the project coordinator’s laboratories and research facilities.

Download the draft agenda

Novara 03 June 2025

The Università del Piemonte Orientale announces the official start of INJECTHEAL, a research project dedicated the development of new solutions for the treatment of chronic wounds, coordinated by Professor Lia Rimondini, head of the Department of Health Sciences.

INJECTHEAL was awarded a grant of about EUR 7.3 million under the Horizon Europe programme, with a total project cost of more than EUR 7.9 million. The planned duration of the project is three years, from 1 May 2025 to 30 April 2028.

Chronic wounds represent a significant clinical condition, affecting a large percentage of the population. These conditions can affect patients’ quality of life and incur significant costs to healthcare systems. Current therapeutic strategies have limitations in treating deep wounds, controlling infection and inflammation, and supporting tissue regeneration.

At the heart of the project is the development of a 4D injectable hydrogel, designed for the targeted release of healing properties into complex wounds and to support tissue regeneration processes, contributing to the reduction of inflammatory and infectious processes. The hydrogel will be developed using sustainable materials, with the goal of providing an advanced therapeutic option, particularly for “deep tunnelling” wounds.

‘The coordination of INJECTHEAL represents a significant commitment for our University in the field of transnational research’ said Prof. Lia Rimondini. ‘The aim of the project is to develop a therapeutic approach that can improve the management of chronic wounds. We will work in close collaboration with doctors and patients, with a focus on their opinions and needs. This will allow us to develop a solution that is really useful and easy to use in everyday practice’.

The consortium of INJECTHEAL consists of 13 partners from 8 European countries (Italy, Austria, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK). This partnership includes academic institutions, research centres, small and medium-sized enterprises and industry organisations, united in the aim of contributing to the advancement of knowledge and applications in the field of chronic wound healing.

OUR PARTNERS

Universities:

• Università del Piemonte Orientale (UPO), Italy
• Universität Siegen (US), Germany
• Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Ireland
• University of Brighton (UoB), UK
• Politecnico di Torino (POLITO), Italy
• Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI), Switzerland 

Research Centres:

• Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft MbH (JR), Austria
• Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – INGENIO (INGE), Spain

SMEs:

• EU CORE Consulting (EUCORE), Italy
• Akribes Biomedical GmbH (AKR), Austria
• Tissue Click Ltd. (TC), UK

Charities:

• The Lindsay Leg Club Foundation (LCF), UK

Download the press release in English

Download the press release in Italian