Synthesis and characterization of biodegradable PEG-based hydrogel for cardiac tissue engineering

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading causes of global morbidity and mortality, creating significant health and economic challenges. CVD arises from two main issues: the poor regenerative capacity of adult cardiac tissues and the lack of sufficient therapeutic options. Cardiac tissue engineering (CTE) is an emerging field that holds great promise for the development of innovative strategies towards heart regeneration post CVD. This Master's thesis project tallies within PACGEL EU project, with the aim to engineer next generation hydrogels for cardiac tissue regeneration after myocardial infarction. An injectable, biodegradable and biocompatible PEG-based hydrogel with tunable mechanical properties is presented in this work matching the properties of human heart tissue, as a suitable candidate for CTE.