Deciphering the cellular crosstalk underlying the early stage of human fracture healing by leveraging a biomimetic engineering strategy (P17*)

• Subject Area: Orthopaedics, Traumatology, Reconstructive Surgery
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 427826188

Bone healing is a unique process involving complex interactions among specific skeletal progenitor populations, immune cells, and the neurovascular compartment. However, it remains poorly understood how distinct progenitor cells are activated and jointly contribute to fracture healing, and why this fails in different patient populations. This project proposes the establishment of a novel human multi-layered organoid-based microphysiological system (HEAL model) to mimic key aspects of human bone healing. By co-engrafting primary bone marrow, periosteal stem cells, and neurovascular compartments into bioengineered bone compartments, the HEAL model will be evaluated using single-cell and spatial omics technologies. The goal is to understand early molecular and cellular responses and intercellular signaling interactions between the distinct cell populations during human bone healing.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1444: Directed Cellular Self-Organization to Advance Bone Regeneration
• Applicant Institution: shared FU Berlin and HU Berlin through:; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
• Project Heads: Professorin Dr. Johanna Bolander, Ph.D., since 1/2025; Professor Dr. Simon Haas, since 1/2025