Research
Repair and Aftercare
Smart materials for natural recovery
Treating a disease is only part of the journey, true recovery begins with repair. At HTRIC, we are advancing technologies that help the body heal better, faster, and more naturally after illness, injury, or surgery.
From smart implants to regenerative materials, our research focuses on restoring tissue and bone in ways that mimic the body’s own processes.
HTRIC is helping to develop a new generation of materials that are:
- Biocompatible and bioactive – encouraging natural healing and integration with the body
- Mechanically matched – reducing stress and improving comfort by mimicking natural tissue properties
- Responsive to the body – able to adapt to movement, pressure, or blood flow over time
These innovations are leading to custom-made implants that reduce surgery time and last longer, thus improving patient outcomes while easing the burden on healthcare systems.
Leading example:
One of the most exciting tools is 3D bioprinting, a field in which Groningen is already leading. This technology allows us to print complex tissue-like structures using living cells and specialized biomaterials, opening new possibilities for organ and tissue regeneration.
At HTRIC, we design materials that do more than fill a gap – they interact with the body, sending signals to cells that guide healing, promote regeneration, and even reprogram damaged tissue. We are working at the intersection of biology, materials science, and clinical need to develop therapies that not only repair, but restore.
The future of medicine lies in materials that heal with the body, not just in it. HTRIC is helping lead that future, ensuring that aftercare is not an afterthought – but an essential part of treatment.
- Ecosystem partners: Zernike Institute, Bernoulli Institute, W.J. Kolff, OMIG, Tracer, SurgVision
- Future opportunity: New applications: intra-operative pathology assisted surgery
- Technology: Imaging, Tracers
