The BioMeld research consortium gathered in Barcelona on October 21-22, 2025 for what is anticipated to be the last in-person project meeting before the final review. The meeting was hosted by the Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC).
All project partners convened to assess progress across Work Packages, discuss integration challenges, and establish a clear roadmap for the project’s final phase. The meeting marked a significant milestone in aligning simulation frameworks with experimental validation and addressing the complexities of catheter assembly.
The SSSA team presented updates on catheter design and fabrication using industrial molds, while IBEC shared progress on muscle integration experiments, including tests with different actuator positions, multiple actuator configurations, and various pillar geometries. The bioreactor chamber development has advanced significantly, with IBEC demonstrating refined chamber geometries that better support long-term cell viability. UNICA provided updates on the flexible electronic platform, including simplified electrode structures for near-term testing and plans for complete electrical characterization. The UWE team showcased advances in voxel-based simulations and AI-driven optimization, while UNSPF presented the regulatory framework and overall modeling architecture. Smart Sensing outlined the manufacturing process integration, and Lance Leverette discussed exploitation planning strategies.
The consortium established an intensive workplan for the coming months.
Mid-November will see initial integration tests at IBEC using simplified electrode structures. By year’s end, SSSA will conduct integration and preliminary calibration of sensorized catheters, followed by comprehensive testing at IBEC in early January combining muscle tissue with the complete control system.
While integration challenges remain, particularly in optimizing force transmission and sensor placement, the consortium is confident in achieving the project’s objectives. The extended timeline will allow for
thorough validation of the modeling framework and delivery of a robust biohybrid catheter prototype that demonstrates the potential of bio-intelligent manufacturing for soft robotics applications.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101070328.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.