A European Collaboration for Smarter Healing

HYDROHEAL unites expert partners across seven countries to pioneer smart, sustainable biomaterials for bone repair—advancing treatment from lab to clinic through shared vision, research excellence, and clinical innovation.

Minimally Invasive
Smart Delivery
A Sustainable Innovation

13 Partners, 7 Countries, 1 Common Goal

The HYDROHEAL project unites an exceptional group of 13 partners from seven European countries- Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Ireland, and Cyprus - forming a truly interdisciplinary and transnational team.

Our consortium brings together world-class universities, cutting-edge research institutions, innovation hubs, and forward-thinking small and medium-sized enterprises. Together, we span the full value chain: from materials science, bioengineering, and drug delivery to clinical translation, regulatory strategy, and sustainable manufacturing.

What makes this partnership unique is not just its scientific and technical excellence, but also its shared vision: to create a new class of smart, sustainable biomaterials that can transform how bone fractures are treated.

By combining our diverse strengths in nanotechnology, advanced biomaterials, artificial intelligence, and clinical innovation, we are ready to meet the challenge of bringing HYDROHEAL from the lab to the clinic - and ultimately, to the patients who need it most.

This is more than just a project. It’s a powerful collaboration for health, technology, and society.

Meet the Consortium

UPV – Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain)

Role: Project Coordinator

As the lead institution of HYDROHEAL, UPV combines expertise in biomaterials engineering, surface functionalization, and machine learning. The team leads the integration of smart drug carriers into the hydrogel formulation and drives the digital modelling work to optimize performance and safety.

UNEW – University of Newcastle upon Tyne (United Kingdom)

Role: Hydrogel development & clinical integration

UNEW brings biomedical engineering and clinical insight to the project, contributing advanced hydrogel synthesis methods using click chemistry and acoustic technology. The team also plays a key role in defining patient needs and clinical requirements.

CPI – Centre for Process Innovation (United Kingdom)

Role: Scale-up and sustainability expert

CPI is responsible for translating lab-scale innovations into scalable manufacturing processes. CPI leads the life cycle assessment (LCA), ensure the formulations are environmentally sustainable, and apply digital modelling to support process robustness and future industrialization.

ASPH – Asphalion S.L. (Spain)

Role: Regulatory and preclinical strategy

ASPH guides the consortium through the complex landscape of medical device regulations in Europe and the US. The company develops the regulatory roadmap and prepare the groundwork for first-in-human clinical trials.

CT – ConsulTech GmbH (Germany)

Role: Exploitation, dissemination, and project management

CT oversees communication and outreach activities and supports all partners in bringing HYDROHEAL innovations to market. ConsulTech also coordinates risk management, intellectual property, and stakeholder engagement.

POLITO – Politecnico di Torino (Italy)

Role: Hydrogel engineering & nanoparticle production

POLITO specializes in designing injectable, biodegradable hydrogels and in fabricating nanoscale drug carriers. Its expertise in mechanical testing and crosslinking technologies ensures that the materials are both strong and safe.

UPC – Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Spain)

Role: Antibacterial testing and biofilm research

UPC leads in vitro testing of HYDROHEAL’s ability to fight infections, using advanced bacterial models and co-cultures. UPC assesses how the hydrogels interact with both human cells and pathogens to ensure clinical effectiveness.

SITEC – SITEC Pharmabio S.L. (Spain)

Role: Microcarrier manufacturing

SITEC develops HYDROHEAL’s smart micro- and nanoparticles using its patented cryo-technology. These particles are crucial for controlled drug delivery and structural support inside the hydrogel matrix.

SEP – SEPARECO S.r.l. (Italy)

Role: Bioactive compound extraction

SEP contributes sustainable manufacturing expertise, including supercritical CO₂ extraction of antimicrobial agents such as methylglyoxal from Manuka honey. The methods developed by SEP enhance product safety and environmental performance.

VET – Vet Ex Machina Ltd. (Cyprus)

Role: Preclinical testing in animals

VET is responsible for conducting HYDROHEAL’s safety and efficacy trials in small and large animal models. The team helps ensuring that the formulations are ready for clinical translation while respecting high ethical standards.

RCSI – Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Ireland)

Role: Biological validation and therapy design

RCSI evaluates the biological performance of the formulations in laboratory settings and contributes to the selection of therapeutic agents. RCSI work helps to shape HYDROHEAL into a real-world clinical solution.

UWAR – University of Warwick (United Kingdom)

Role: Ethics and stakeholder engagement

UWAR ensures that HYDROHEAL respects societal values, patient perspectives, and ethical norms. It leads public and patient involvement activities and develop frameworks to guide responsible innovation.

FLU – FLUIDINOVA S.A. (Portugal)

Role: Substituted hydroxyapatite synthesis

FLU manufactures innovative ceramic components (Sr-, Zn-, and Fe-doped hydroxyapatites) that give the hydrogel its regenerative and antimicrobial properties. The companies proprietary production methods ensure quality and scalability.