Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Research Group

The focus of the Buckley lab is to develop novel biomaterial and cell based strategies to regenerate or repair damaged tissues and restore biomechanical function using minimal invasive strategies.

Conor Buckley is Professor In Biomedical Engineering, Principal investigator (PI) in both the Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) national centre for Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research (AMBER) Centre at Trinity College Dublin and Honorary Associate Professor in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. His research focuses on novel biomaterials, biofabrication and cell-based strategies for tissue regeneration (www.BuckleyLab.eu). He has published 74 international peer reviewed journal articles and over 180 conference publications. Buckley is a reviewer for 26 leading journals in the fields of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, an Editorial Board Member for the journals, Frontiers- Bioengineering and Biotechnology and Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering and serves on the International Advisory Review Board (ARB) for the Journal of Orthopaedic Research-Spine.

Buckley has been awarded a number of grants in the areas of biomaterials, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine as Principal Investigator (> €3.1 million), Co-PI funding of €53.2 million and collaborative funding of €2.2 million in the areas of cartilage tissue engineering, biofabrication and nerve regeneration. Buckley is also a PI on several commercial projects developing biomaterials for peripheral nerve repair (Integra Life Sciences) and bioprinting for next generation implantable devices and tissues for orthopaedic applications (Johnson & Johnson).  In 2016, he received a Career Development Award (CDA) from SFI and in 2019 received a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator award to develop personalised medicine approaches to regenerating the intervertebral disc.

INTEGRATE- Personalised Medicine for Intervertebral Disc Regeneration- Integrating Profiling, Predictive Modelling and Gene Activated Biomaterials

Project Summary: Lower back pain is a global epidemiological and socioeconomic problem. Biomaterial and cell-based therapies have been pursued for the treatment of degenerated intervertebral disc (IVD), with a number of clinical trials underway. However, the degenerated intervertebral disc has a distinct environment (e.g. altered oxygen, glucose, acidity, inflammatory cytokine levels) that is unique to an individual (i.e. patient-specific) and will ultimately determine the likelihood and rate at which regeneration can occur. A “one size fits all” approach will lead to the failure to demonstrate efficacy of advanced therapies, as they are not being designed or personalised for individual patients. This proposal envisions a future whereby advanced gene activated cell therapies are personalised (targeting regeneration or modulating inflammation) to treat back pain based on knowing the individuals unique disc microenvironment. This will be achieved through profiling of individual patient disc microenvironmental factors, with in vitro screening and in silico modelling to design cell therapies and predict regeneration outcomes (Aim 1) combined with the development of tailored functionalised gene activated biomaterials (Aim 2), to enhance matrix formation and modulate the inflammatory processes (Aim 3). Gene-based therapy offers several advantages over direct delivery of proteins or small molecules, among them the possibility of sustained efficacy and endogenous synthesis of growth factors or suppression of inflammatory factors and pathways. The platform technology (personalised gene activated biomaterials to regulate regeneration and inflammation) and knowledge (tailoring cell therapies to suit patient-specific microenvironments) generated through this research are beyond the current state-of-the-art and will provide a significant transformative scientific and clinical step change opening new horizons in minimally-invasive therapeutic strategies.

Funded by: European Research Council (ERC), Consolidator Award (CoG) (2020-2025)
Grant ID: 864104