- What has been your biggest challenge working on m2M project?
The biggest challenge of the m2M project lies in its highly interdisciplinary nature. The project brings together expertise from medicine, biology, biomaterials, and bioprinting to develop a large-scale implant for cartilage repair. Coordinating these different disciplines and ensuring that all aspects work together effectively is demanding, especially when aiming for a single, functional outcome. At the same time, this challenge represents one of the project’s main strengths, as addressing such a complex clinical problem requires a well-integrated approach that considers biological, medical, and technological aspects simultaneously.
2. How do you think the m2M project can make a difference in the bioprinting field?
The m2M project aims to make a meaningful contribution to the bioprinting field by developing durable, large-scale implants for cartilage repair. The project brings together different bioprinting approaches, spanning from melt-electrowriting (MEW), extrusion bioprinting and ink-jet printing. By exploring this integrated approach, which is still largely understudied, m2M can open new possibilities for producing more reliable and effective bioprinted implants, with clear relevance for future clinical applications.
3. In your opinion, how can the project help patients and strength the European biomanufacturing capacity while fostering collaboration between industry and clinicians?
The m2M project can benefit patients by actively working to shorten the distance between research and clinical application. By focusing on GMP-compliant methodologies from the very beginning, the project is designed with real clinical use in mind, increasing the chances that the developed solutions can be safely and effectively translated into patient care. At the same time, this approach contributes to strengthening European biomanufacturing capacity by promoting standardized, scalable, and clinically relevant production processes.
4. For you, what is the main result that m2M will deliver?
The main result that m2M aims to deliver is a concrete step forward in bringing bioprinted cartilage implants closer to clinical applications. The development of a scalable and clinically oriented implant that takes into account the translational challenges from the early stages of the project allows the m2M to go beyond proof-of-concept research.
5. We reached the 1-year mark of the project; how do you see the progress made?
After the first year, the project has shown steady and tangible progress. The partners have established strong and effective collaborations, creating a solid foundation for joint work across disciplines. All planned deliverables and milestones have been successfully achieved so far, confirming that the project is progressing as expected. Based on this positive start, we foresee a continued and consistent advancement in the coming years.