Crowdhelix has launched a new international innovation network focused on regenerative medicine, bringing together 110 experts from 68 organisations across 24 countries to support the development of tissue engineering, stem cell therapies and bioprinted medical products.

The Regenerative Medicine Helix has been established as a collaboration platform linking researchers, healthcare professionals, biotechnology companies, medical technology developers, policymakers and regulators working across the rapidly expanding regenerative medicine sector.

The network launches alongside KeratOPrinter, a Horizon Europe-funded research project developing what organisers describe as the first dedicated 4D bioprinting platform designed to manufacture full-thickness human corneas for transplantation.

The project aims to address a major global shortage of donor corneas. Corneal disease remains one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, yet access to donor tissue is limited in many regions, particularly in lower-income countries.

Researchers involved in KeratOPrinter are developing a manufacturing process that combines induced pluripotent stem cell-derived materials, clinical-grade bioinks, specialised corneal support technologies and artificial intelligence-based quality control systems. The goal is to produce transplantable corneas without relying on human donors.

Prof. Heli Skottman, KeratOPrinter project coordinator at Tampere University, said: “The goal of KeratOPrinter is simple to state and very challenging to achieve: to give millions of people back their sight.

“We are developing a bioprinting suite that produces native-like human corneas with the precision, safety and reproducibility needed for clinical use — entirely independent of donor availability. This is what a solution to corneal blindness looks like.”

The project remains in the research and development stage, and significant scientific, manufacturing and regulatory hurdles must still be overcome before any bioprinted corneas could become routinely available for patients.

Researchers believe advances in regenerative medicine could eventually help address a range of conditions that currently depend on donor tissue or have limited treatment options. Areas under investigation include engineered cartilage, stem cell therapies and bioprinted tissues designed to repair or replace damaged organs.

The Regenerative Medicine Helix has been created to encourage collaboration across these fields by helping participants identify research opportunities, build partnerships and navigate regulatory challenges associated with bringing advanced therapies into clinical practice.

Evangelos Koulis, regenerative medicine helix manager at Crowdhelix, said: “Regenerative medicine has the potential to fundamentally change what healthcare can offer patients.

“The Helix exists to remove the barriers between discovery and patient benefit: connecting expertise, aligning regulatory strategies, and building the partnerships that move this science from the laboratory to the clinic.”

According to Crowdhelix, the network will support collaboration between academic institutions, healthcare organisations, industry and policymakers with the aim of accelerating the translation of regenerative medicine research into clinical applications.

The launch reflects growing investment across Europe in advanced therapies and tissue engineering technologies, with researchers increasingly exploring the use of stem cells, biomaterials and bioprinting techniques to create replacement tissues and organs for patients with unmet medical needs.