Assoc. Prof. MUDr. Lucie Bačáková, CSc., from the Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, is pushing the boundaries of tissue engineering with her team. Their focus is primarily on developing replacements for the most burdened parts of the human body – blood vessels, bones, joints, and skin.

One of her most ambitious research projects is the development of small-diameter vascular grafts – the kind that could save the lives of patients with cardiovascular diseases, after a heart attack, stroke, or with ischemic disorders of the lower limbs, which are typical, for example, in diabetic patients. While large vessel replacements are already used in surgery, small ones remain a major scientific challenge.

Stem cells from umbilical cord tissue – typically considered biological waste – offer new hope.

The research is currently in the preclinical testing phase.

The goal is to create grafts that the body will accept more easily and that could one day replace failing blood vessels in patients with serious cardiovascular conditions.

The research is supported by the National Institute for Research on Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases(EXCELES Programme, ID: LX22NPO5104) – Funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU.

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