The biomaterials revolution
Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Doors Open 18:30 | Event 19:00 - 21:30
Mick O’ Connells Irish Pub
Jansdam 3, 3512 HA Utrecht
Is it possible to grow meat in the space? The biomaterials revolution is here!
Come to learn more about this and about the last scientific breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, here in Utrecht
Can our brain repair itself?”
Is our brain able to regenerate? Can our lifestyle impact the generation of new brain cells? Can we harness this regenerative potential to slow down cognitive decline during aging or in neurodegenerative conditions, like Alzheimer’s disease? To address these questions, we go back to the source: the human brain. By profiling the molecular signatures of hundreds of thousands of single brain cells, we explore our brain’s endogenous repair toolbox. This novel knowledge can help us understand the mechanisms of healthy brain aging and of what makes us resilient or vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease
Cosmic food – the potential of cultivated meat in future space
exploration
What to feed astronauts in missions into deep space? As spacecrafts travel further from Earth, delivery of supplies (eg. food) becomes impossible, therefore requiring the crew to be self-sustainable. In this regard, the development of in-situ food production systems is crucial for the success of such missions. By identifying the main challenges and knowledge gaps, at ESA we are exploring whether cultivated meat could be a viable future space food. By leveraging space as a testing ground, we expect the technological advances to further contribute to safer and more secure food systems on Earth.
Bioprinting the human pancreas
Will humans ever be able to fabricate full organs in the lab as a source
for transplant? By using stem cell-derived organoids, biomaterial
engineering and novel biofabrication technologies we are exploring
approaches on how to bioprint a functional human pancreas.
