• SEMIT has been established to promote research and collaboration in this field of biomedicine, addressing the need for a strong network for its development in Spain.
• The society is the initiative of researchers from IMDEA Materials Institute in Madrid, the University of Valladolid, and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC).

In the context of scientific development in Spain, a new initiative has emerged aimed at advancing the field of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM).

The Spanish Society for Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering, or SEMIT, was founded with the objective of promoting research, innovation, and collaboration in these fields, which are crucial for the advancement of biomedicine in the country.

According to Dr. Pedro J. Díaz Payno, a Marie Curie researcher at IMDEA Materials Institute, adjunct professor at Francisco de Vitoria University, and one of the society’s founders, SEMIT was born from the need to create a strong network that supports the development of excellent science in the TERM field within Spain.

“Our mission is to drive scientific and technological progress by fostering a collaborative environment that integrates research, education, technology transfer, and clinical applications,” said Dr. Díaz Payno.

“By bringing together experts and stakeholders, SEMIT will facilitate the exchange of knowledge, cutting-edge techniques, and experiences.”

SEMIT’s founding team includes prominent scientists from various institutions: Drs. Díaz Payno and Jesús Ordoño Fernández (IMDEA Materials), Dr. María Puertas Bartolomé and Dr. Sergio Acosta Rodríguez (Bioforge, University of Valladolid), and Dr. Zaida Álvarez Pinto (Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia).

These five founders saw the need to create this society after working and collaborating at leading research centers in countries such as the U.S., Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

“In other countries, there are similar associations that foster a collaborative environment in the TERM field, significantly driving scientific development. In Spain, we felt something like this was missing,” noted Dr. Díaz Payno.

“The first time I attended the Irish annual congress BINI, the equivalent of our SEMIT…I felt a bit envious as I wasn’t aware of any society related to the TERM field that offered these kinds of opportunities.”

“After having participated in several national annual congresses in these countries, I believe their existence and the engagement they receive are a testament to the scientific development of a country in a specific field,” he added.

One of the main challenges SEMIT seeks to address is the lack of a well-established network that allows for the interdisciplinary collaboration needed to advance these fields in biomedicine.

In addition to strengthening this collaboration, SEMIT also aims to highlight the potential impact that regenerative medicine and tissue engineering can have on society.

These fields not only offer innovative solutions for treating complex diseases but could also profoundly transform healthcare and improve the quality of life for many people.

Due to the multidisciplinary nature of these fields, they touch on many topics affecting public health. For instance, the TERM fields propose the creation of advanced 3D in vitro models that more effectively mimic the human body.

These advanced models would avoid the need for traditional 2D models or even actively reduce the excessive use of animals in science, thus reducing the human footprint in the development of new drugs for clinical use, such as in cancer treatment.

“Furthermore, the development of tissue regeneration offers a solution to the thousands of transplants needed to treat patients who have suffered trauma or loss of function of an organ or tissue due to disease,” said Dr. Díaz Payno. “For example, in patients suffering from autoimmune diseases, heart diseases related to heart attacks, or oncological resections.”

In his work as a Marie Curie researcher at IMDEA Materials on the European RECOIL3D project, Dr. Díaz Payno is part of the Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine group, led by Dr. Jennifer Patterson. This is one of the two research groups at the institute focused on the area, along with the new group on Biometals, Coatings, and Devices, led by Dr. Mónica Echeverry-Rendón.

Both groups provide IMDEA Materials with a great capacity for the characterisation and development of new biomaterials.

“This is essential for the development of the TERM fields, as for the development of new technologies, either new materials will be needed or a better understanding of the properties of materials already in use, but not necessarily in an optimal way,” concluded Dr. Díaz Payno.

For more information, visit the society’s website at: https://semit.es/; or follow the society on social media: https://www.linkedin.com/company/semit-spain/, https://x.com/SEMITspain/.