AOF – AO Forschungsinstitut Davos
The AO Foundation is a medically guided, global network of surgeons. It is a world's leading education and research organization for trauma and musculoskeletal treatment. The AO Forschungsinstitut Davos (AOF) or AO Research Institute Davos (ARI) is the research arm of the AO Foundation. Within the ARI, the Regenerative Orthopaedics Program (RO) has established research activities in the field of bone, cartilage, and intervertebral disc regeneration, with a major focus on regenerative medicine, 3D printing, cell and gene therapy. The ARI has an extended research experience in developing matrix assisted gene therapy through FP7 project and as considerable experience in translating bone repair strategies in trauma and osteoporotic patients. Moreover, the RO develops innovative hyaluronan hydrogel-based bioinks for printing that will contribute to the overall project innovation.
AOF is the coordinator of the cmRNAbone project and leader of Work Packages 8 and 10.
Main task in the project
- Development of printable matrix presenting specific function for guiding innervation, vascularization and bone formation. More specifically synthesizing hyaluronan derivatives (WP3) and co-development of bioink (WP3 and 4).
- Development of 3D printing manufacturing process (WP 4).
- Leading of the in vivo proof of concepts testing of the efficacy of the gene therapy (WP 8).
- In WP9, the AOF will support the management and preparation of the exploitation plan.
- Main coordination of the project (WP10).
