Post by Omer Dzemali, Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c.

“From idea to implant: our ETH Zürich, UZH & AllianzHerzchirurgieZürich project for regenerative heart repair” Thrilled to share our latest publication in Advanced Materials and my first research project in collaboration with ETH Zürich! Together with a fantastic interdisciplinary team from ETH Zürich, University Hospital Zurich (USZ), City Hospital Zurich – Triemli (STZ), Kantonsspital St. Gallen (KSSG), University of Zurich, and Ghent University, we developed a new class of implantable, reinforced cardiac tissue patches using volumetric 3D printing and melt-electrowriting. Our “RCPatch” combines a stiffness-tuned 3D-printed metamaterial with living cardiomyocytes and a suturable, hydrogel-infiltrated mesh. In a large animal model, it successfully closed a myocardial defect, withstood intraventricular pressure, prevented bleeding, and partially restored heart function, showing the potential for future regenerative solutions in cardiac surgery. This work marks an exciting step towards replacing permanent synthetic cardiac patches with biodegradable, regenerative implants that integrate with the heart tissue. Read the full article here: DOI: 10.1002/adma.202504765 #CardiacRegeneration #3DPrinting #TissueEngineering #Biomaterials #MedicalInnovation #AdvancedMaterials #AllianzHerzchirurgieZürich ETH Zurich Universität Zürich Universitätsspital Zürich Stadtspital Zürich HOCH Health Ostschweiz