The researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia has been awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant. This prestigious European funding supports excellent scientists and scholars who are consolidating their independent research teams to pursue their most promising scientific ideas. The €2.8 million SPINECRAFT grant, awarded for five years, will enable Álvarez and her team to build a high-fidelity, 4D human spinal cord model using advanced bioprinting and patient-derived cells. This platform aims to transform the study of spinal cord biology, neurodegenerative disorders, and regenerative therapies, setting the stage for breakthroughs previously out of reach.
Zaida Álvarez Pinto, Principal Investigator at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), has been awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant, one of the most prestigious and competitive sources of funding in the European Union. This research grant, awarded by the European Research Council (ERC) supports excellent scientists and scholars at the career stage where they are consolidating their independent research teams to pursue their most promising scientific ideas.
This recognition marks a pivotal moment for our research and for the field of spinal cord regeneration. We finally have the tools to ask questions that were previously inaccessible — and to move closer to real treatments for patients.
Zaida Álvarez Pinto
Álvarez is part of the 11,3% of selected candidates across Europe, chosen from among 3121 proposals received in this call.
She began her scientific trajectory at IBEC, completing her PhD under the supervision of Elisabeth Engel. She later moved to Northwestern University (USA), where she continued her work first as a Postdoctoral Researcher and subsequently as an Assistant Professor. In 2022, she returned to IBEC through a Ramón y Cajal fellowship, and just two years later, she was appointed Junior Group Leader. She currently leads the Biomaterials for Neural Regeneration group as a Ramón y Cajal Researcher.
The project to be developed with this new funding is named Engineered Humanized Spinal Cord Construct for Advancing Health and Disease Research (SPINECRAFT).
Current laboratory models of the central nervous system (CNS) struggle to replicate its extraordinary complexity, limiting progress in understanding neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Traditional 2D cultures, 3D organoids and animal models fall short of capturing the intricate structure and dynamic function of the CNS, slowing advances in neuroscience. SPINECRAFT aims to change this. The project will create a cutting-edge, 4D human spinal cord construct that mirrors the architecture and functionality of the real spinal cord. By combining advanced imaging, computational modelling, bioprinting and innovative bioinks, researchers will fabricate a high-fidelity model populated with human neural and vascular cells. This platform will not only enable detailed studies of spinal cord biology but also integrate patient-derived cells to recreate disease-specific environments, such as those seen in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
“This recognition marks a pivotal moment for our research and for the field of spinal cord regeneration. With SPINECRAFT, we expect to generate a high-fidelity human model that will allow us to study disease mechanisms with unprecedented resolution and pave the way for new therapeutic strategies. We finally have the tools to ask questions that were previously inaccessible — and to move closer to real treatments for patients.”, explained Álvarez.
This ambitious approach represents a paradigm shift in CNS research. SPINECRAFT will set new standards in tissue engineering and open doors to breakthroughs in neurodegenerative disease modelling and regenerative therapies—pushing the boundaries of what is possible in neuroscience.
The project’s disruptive originality enabled it to secure an additional €800,000, beyond the standard €2 million from the call, dedicated to acquiring specialised equipment for multi-cellular bioprinting and advanced functional analysis. This strategic investment positions IBEC at the forefront of 4D human spinal cord modelling, accelerating the transformative potential of SPINECRAFT.
