Goal

BCNatal CaixaResearch Placenta Artificial is an ambitious project funded by “la Caixa” Foundation, which objective is to develop an artificial placenta for extreme premature babies, which will allow the fetus to be kept out of the womb in an environment as similar as possible to it and thus minimize the risk of sequelae. The objective of this ambitious project is to develop an artificial placenta for extreme premature babies, which will allow the fetus to be kept out of the womb in an environment as similar as possible to it and thus minimize the risk of sequelae.

Start: 2020

“The development of the artificial placenta will change the course of medicine”

Innovation & Impact

The artificial placenta will significantly decrease complications from extreme prematurity (and other fetal conditions), increasing survival and reducing morbidity associated with extreme prematurity. Furthermore, in a more advanced phase, it would make possible interventions on the fetus in malformations or serious illnesses. Currently, it is estimated that up to 25,000 fetuses annually in Europe suffer serious problems that could be operated if there were no difficulties in accessing the fetus.

Team

Eduard Gratacós
Project’s director

Elisenda Eixarch
Senior Investigator

Miriam Illa
Senior Fetal Medicine Coordinator

Fàtima Crispi
Investigator

Ameth Hawkins
Investigator

Elisenda Bonet
Scientific Manager

Aleix García
Research Manager

Raquel Fucho
Research Manager

Juan Medina
Research Manager

Collaborators

Unitat de Perfusió de l’Hospital Clínic: Maite Mata, Marina Chorda, Mireia Gispert, Víctor Gómez
UAB: Diana Marre
IBEC: Josep Samitier, María J López-Martínez
IQS: Salvador Borrós, Núria Agulló, Guillermo Reyes
UPC: Ferran Marqués, Verónica Vilaplana