AO-FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT DAVOS

Their core work

AO Research Institute Davos is a leading musculoskeletal research center affiliated with the AO Foundation, focused on bone and cartilage regeneration, biomaterials development, and translating regenerative therapies into clinical applications. They specialize in 3D printing/bioprinting for tissue engineering, gene therapy for bone repair, and developing advanced in-vitro models to test regenerative treatments. Their work bridges fundamental biology — stem cells, gene-activated matrices, nanomedicine — with practical orthopaedic and dental implant solutions. Based in Davos, Switzerland, they serve as a key European hub for preclinical musculoskeletal research.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015–2019), AO Davos focused on foundational regenerative biology — cartilage regeneration (TargetCaRe), biomaterials centres of excellence (BBCE), stem cell therapies (iPSpine), and broad musculoskeletal regeneration with classical tools like bioreactors and organoids. From 2020 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward advanced manufacturing and precision medicine: 3D bioprinting, microfluidic organ-on-chip platforms (synovia-on-chip in FLAMIN-GO), gene-activated matrices (cmRNAbone), and smart implants with drug delivery and sensors (I-SMarD). The evolution shows a clear trajectory from understanding regenerative mechanisms to engineering clinically translatable therapeutic products.

AO Davos is moving toward integrated manufacturing-meets-biology solutions — expect future work in patient-specific 3D-printed implants, organ-on-chip preclinical testing, and personalized musculoskeletal therapies.

How they like to work

AO Davos operates predominantly as a specialist partner (12 of 14 projects), contributing deep musculoskeletal expertise to consortia led by others, while occasionally stepping up to coordinate projects closely aligned with their core strengths (cmRNAbone on RNA-based bone therapy, ImmunoBioInks on bio-inks). With 95 unique partners across 24 countries, they maintain a broad and diverse European network rather than relying on a small circle of repeat collaborators. This makes them an accessible and experienced consortium partner — easy to integrate, well-connected, and comfortable working in both large multi-partner RIA projects and smaller MSCA training networks.

They have collaborated with 95 unique partners across 24 countries, forming one of the more widely connected musculoskeletal research networks in Europe. Their participation in Widening Participation projects (BBCE, ExcellMater, RISEus2) with Baltic and Eastern European partners shows deliberate network-building beyond Western European hubs.

What sets them apart

AO Davos sits at a rare intersection: they combine decades of orthopaedic research heritage (via the AO Foundation) with frontier capabilities in 3D bioprinting, gene therapy, and organ-on-chip technologies. Unlike university labs that may excel in one technique, AO Davos can take a musculoskeletal problem from biological mechanism through biomaterial design to preclinical testing — all in-house. Their Swiss base and AO Foundation affiliation give them credibility and infrastructure that few standalone research centres can match in this field.

Highlights from their portfolio

• cmRNAbone
  Their largest coordinated project (EUR 710K), pioneering 3D-printed matrices with chemically modified RNA for bone regeneration — a unique combination of gene therapy and additive manufacturing.
• FLAMIN-GO
  Marks their strategic entry into organ-on-chip technology with a synovia-on-chip platform for rheumatoid arthritis, signaling expansion beyond traditional regenerative approaches.
• BBCE
  Two-phase commitment (2017–2027, combined EUR 1.4M) to building a Baltic biomaterials centre of excellence — their longest and largest single funding stream, showing sustained capacity-building investment.