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Prof. Anders Lindahl discusses his work in AutoCRAT in ATMP World Tour segment

University of Gothenburg PI Professor Anders Lindahl introduced and interviewed Bernard Siegel, JD for an ATMP World Tour 2024 segment. The piece aired on April 23rd, 2024.  As a recognized policy expert on stem cell research, regenerative medicine and cloning, Mr. Siegel works with leading stem cell researchers and advocates. After the presentation titled, “Baby Eve and Legal Advocacy” an interesting discussion ensued where Anders gave a top-level description of his work within AutoCRAT.

Watch the video here.

This year’s ATMP world tour program hosted 12 speakers over three days, live-streamed April 23-25, 2024. The programme was built to favour discussion over presentation and was recorded and available to view for 1 month following the event. See the full program here. Don’t miss it!

Prof. Anders Lindahl discusses his work in AutoCRAT in ATMP World Tour segment2024-05-01T09:25:05+00:00

AutoCRAT results avalanche at OARSI 2024

Our researchers will be in Vienna this week to showcase AutoCRAT findings and results.

University of Gothenburg‘s Dr Kristina Vukusic‘s poster (#450) titled “Efficacy of Intra-articular Injections of human induced Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Extracellular Vesicles, and hydrogel in Chondral Repair”, and Prof.  Victoria Rotter Sopasakis‘s poster #442, “Protocol for Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Chondrocytes Suitable for Regenerative Therapy of #Osteoarthritis.”

The University of Galway early-stage researcher Dale Creaven’s poster “In vitro assessment of the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stromal cell- and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stromal cell apoptotic bodies” can be found at LB-050. In addition, Jason Hunt, also of the University of Galway, presented a poster titled “Generating Mesenchymal Stromal Cells From Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells As An Alternative Cell Source For Cell Therapy”.

In addition to presentations, our team of Prof. Ingrid Meulenbelt and Dr Yolande F. M. Ramos at Leiden University Medical Center will also take part in the Regenerative Medicine in OA Discussion Group and have been invited to a lunch to celebrate Women in Stem Cell Research.

OARSI is the premier international organization for scientists and health care professionals focused on the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis through the promotion and presentation of research, education and the worldwide dissemination of new knowledge.

AutoCRAT results avalanche at OARSI 20242024-04-22T11:46:24+00:00

Fraunhofer IPT hosts the AutoCRAT consortium’s final meeting

Partners assembled in Aachen, Germany from all points of Europe to meet AutoCRAT partners for the final plenary meeting. The two-day gathering took place on April 11th and 12th, 2024. Special thanks to Ferdinand Groten and Laura Herbst for the warm hospitality, commodious conference room, guided Old Aachen stroll and the piece de resistance- the Fraunhofer IPT facilities tour. Here, we were treated to a demonstration of the robotic AutoCRAT  system in action. A video showcasing the automated platform is currently being produced.

Much data was shared and publication plans were discussed. We were pleased to see all partners’ results lining up to support a robust pre-clinical proposition to pursue a clinical trial in the near future.

Many partners will be attending the OARSI meeting in Vienna. If you are attending, please visit their posters and presentations.

Fraunhofer IPT hosts the AutoCRAT consortium’s final meeting2024-04-15T08:02:16+00:00

Dr Yolande Ramos and international colleagues publish review in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage

Congratulations to Leiden University Medical Center‘s Yolande F.M. Ramos and international colleagues Sarah J. Rice, Shabana Amanda Ali, Chiara Pastrello, Igor Jurisica, Muhammad Farooq Rai, Kelsey H. Collins, Annemarie Lang, Tristan Maerz, Jeroen Geurts, Cristina Ruiz-Romero, Ronald K. June, C. Thomas Appleton, Jason S. Rockel, Mohit Kapoor! Their review article titled: Evolution and advancements in genomics and epigenomics in OA research: How far we have come was published on February 28th, 2024 in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2024.02.656

 

Dr Yolande Ramos and international colleagues publish review in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage2024-03-27T13:24:20+00:00

Dr Vikusic presents AutoCRAT preliminary results at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg

On March 7, 2024, the University of Gothenburg‘s Dr Kristina Vikusic delivered an engaging talk to the Rheumatology Department at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.  The talk included an overview of osteoarthritis and the differentiation of iPS cells to induced chondrocytes and showed some preliminary AutoCRAT results from the ongoing sheep study.

The audience of 35 in-person and 15 online asked many questions.

Dr Vikusic presents AutoCRAT preliminary results at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg2024-03-08T08:51:45+00:00

Ferdinand Groten presents AutoCRAT platform at the IGLD 2024 conference in Leipzig

Ferdinand Biermann

Ferdinand Groten

Ferdinand Groten of Fraunhofer IPT will describe the AutoCRAT platform in a presentation at the IGLD conference in Leipzig, Germany, on March 7th, 2024. Ferdinand’s talk is titled, Automated Production at Scale of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells, Chondrocytes and Extracellular Vehicles: Towards Real-Time Release, will occur in the GSEV-2: Methods, Rigor and Standardisation session chaired by Dr Tobias Tertel of UK Essen.

At the Interdisziplinäre Gruppe für Labor und Durchflusszytometrie (IGLD) Annual symposium, running March 7th- 9th, 2024, experts from fields such as laboratory medicine, transfusion medicine, haematology, oncology, and basic research share information on routine and related research advancements.

Ferdinand Groten presents AutoCRAT platform at the IGLD 2024 conference in Leipzig2024-03-06T10:04:17+00:00

Dr Kristina Vukusic presents AutoCRAT research at ATMP Sweden meeting in Uppsala

The annual ATMP Sweden 2023 meeting took place on December 5th and 6th, 2023 in Uppsala. Dr Kristina Vukusic of the University of Gothenburg presented the group’s AutoCRAT results in a poster titled “Development of Cell-Based Products for Cartilage Repair.”

ATMP Sweden is the national network of Sweden’s activities within medicines based on genes, cells or tissue engineering, classified as Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) in Europe. Their goal is to promote the collaboration and communication needed for accelerated, effective ATMP-based patient solutions.

Dr Kristina Vukusic presents AutoCRAT research at ATMP Sweden meeting in Uppsala2023-12-07T13:14:16+00:00

Prof. Barry delivers Don Panoz Distinguished lecture in Dublin

The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Trinity College Dublin and the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) proudly hosted the Inaugural Don Panoz Distinguished Lecture featuring Professor Frank Barry, from the University of Galway entitled, “Hearts and Knees: Cellular Therapies in Cardiac and Musculoskeletal Applications‘, took place on Tuesday 24th October 2023.

Read more details here.

Don Panoz Distinguished Lecture by Dr Frank Barry.
Fennell Photography 2023

Prof. Barry delivers Don Panoz Distinguished lecture in Dublin2023-12-04T16:42:09+00:00

A Project milestone- the AutoCRAT Exploitation Workshop

The AutoCRAT Exploitation Workshop took place on November 10th, 2023 in Galway. The workshop aimed to plan for the future exploitation of AutoCRAT innovations, including therapeutic products, the automated platform, and ValitaCell assays.

Nora Ward of Pintail Limited introduced the intended scope of the workshop and explained how the team will build towards our Business Plan from now until the end of the project. PIs and researchers from ValitaCell, the University of Galway, the University of Gothenburg, Leiden University Medical Center and Panaxea made notable presentations and contributions regarding plans for AutoCRAT innovations and results.

The Exploitation workshop laid the foundations for the AutoCRAT Business Plan due at the end of the project. The promising results presented at the plenary meeting on the 9 and 10 of  November provided a foundation for our discussions. Future exploitation plans will continue to evolve as the final project results are generated. The workshop ended on an optimistic note; partners agreed on a framework for the preparation of the AutoCRAT Business Plan report.

Professor Mary Murphy, University of Galway, thanked everyone for their input to the productive milestone workshop.

A Project milestone- the AutoCRAT Exploitation Workshop2023-11-29T09:16:02+00:00

AutoCRAT meets in Galway, Ireland!

The AutoCRAT project team assembled at the University of Galway on 9 and 10 November for our latest meeting.

The autumnal weather could not dampen our enthusiasm as we reviewed the results starting to emanate from our final preclinical studies. Now we are entering the final phase of the project, our focus is on the completion of our in vitro and in vivo work, dissemination of our results and future exploitation plans. We also look forward to seeing the AutoCRAT automated platform and novel quality control assays in operation in the months ahead.

We benefited greatly from the presence (online) of Advisory Board member Professor Tim Hardingham and extend our sincere thanks to him for his time and expertise.

We enjoyed a successful and productive meeting and Galway’s legendary welcome! Many thanks to the team at the University of Galway for hosting.

AutoCRAT meets in Galway, Ireland!2023-11-10T16:08:30+00:00

Prof. Gentili presents AutoCRAT work at EORS 2023 meeting

Prof. Chiara Gentili, Università degli Studi di Genova

Professor Chiara Gentili of the Università degli Studi di Genova delivered a talk based on her AutoCRAT research titled: “Production of clinical grade extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of osteoarthritis” at the 31st Annual Meeting of the European Orthopaedic Research Society (EORS 2023).

3 B’s Research Group organized this meeting from September 27th – 29th, 2023 at Alfandega Congress Center in Porto, Portugal. Approximately 800 people attended Professor Gentiti’s oral presentation.

Prof. Gentili presents AutoCRAT work at EORS 2023 meeting2023-10-20T13:01:54+00:00

Panaxea’s Iris Boot presents AutoCRAT research at ISPOR Europe 2023

Panaxea‘s Iris Boot will present her AutoCRAT work at the November 12th- 15th ISPOR 2023 conference in Copenhagen. The title of Iris’s poster is “Cell-based treatment increases Quality of Life and reduces amount of Knee Replacement Surgeries compared to current standard of care for knee osteoarthritis patients.” Preview the poster here.

In AutoCRAT, Panaxea is focused on the economic evaluation of GMP manufacturing and at-line testing using the AutoCRAT system. ISPOR provides an opportunity for researchers to convene with global healthcare leaders who share their interests in Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR).

Panaxea’s Iris Boot presents AutoCRAT research at ISPOR Europe 20232023-10-16T13:17:36+00:00

A warm AutoCRAT welcome to Helen Jinton at the University of Gothenburg!

Helen Jinton

Welcome to our newest AutoCRAT member, Helen Jinton who is based at the University of Gothenburg within Professor Anders Lindhal’s research group. Danielle Nicholson at Pintail Limited asked Helen some questions to become acquainted with her and her work.

Where did you grow up? Was there something or someone there that encouraged your interest in science?

I grew up in Mölndal, just outside Gothenburg. It almost counts as a part of Gothenburg, depending on who you ask. I did not really have anyone who specifically encouraged my interest in science. It’s just something I’ve always found interesting.

What and where did you study at university?

I’m a Biomedical scientist and did my Bachelor of Science in Biomedical laboratory science at the University of Gothenburg. I have also previously studied biology at the University level. I did my bachelor’s thesis at the Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg with Kristina Vukusic as my supervisor. Kristina is one of the researchers responsible for the AutoCRAT project here in Gothenburg.

Describe your work and the techniques/methods/technologies you plan to use in your work for AutoCRAT.

Before starting to work in Anders Lindahl’s group here at Gothenburg University, I worked at the Clinical Pathology lab at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. There I learned how to perform tissue preparation, paraffin embedding, tissue sectioning and so forth. During my bachelor thesis, I learned how to perform immunohistochemistry with three different antibodies, as well as fluorescence microscopy plus image processing.
My work for AutoCRAT revolves mainly around the sheep study that is currently ongoing. I will be doing most of the laboratory work with tissue preparation, sectioning and staining. I will also photograph the individual tissue sections and process the images in a program called Image J.

In your opinion, what is exciting about working on the project?

For me, it’s very inspirational and, of course, educational to be a part of such a large project. I’m still contemplating whether I’m going to pursue a master’s degree and eventually a Ph.D. To see how these kinds of projects work is interesting and, like I said before, inspirational.

What do you like most about living in Gothenburg?

Gothenburg is the perfect large city, which still has this kind of small-town vibe. I’ve lived here my entire life and I think it’s a great city, but I may be a little bit biased.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I spend a lot of my free time at the stable. I’ve been involved with equestrian sport for a long time, and have been competing a little in show jumping. I’m also a photographer, where I mainly do landscape and nature photography. The rest is spent with family and friends.
A warm AutoCRAT welcome to Helen Jinton at the University of Gothenburg!2023-09-22T12:50:25+00:00

Dr Kristina Vukusic presents AutoCRAT to the Department of Clinical Chemistry, UGOT

Automated Cellular Robot-Assisted Technologies for translation of discovery-led research in Osteoarthritis” was the title of the presentation delivered by Dr Kristina Vukusic on Friday, September 15th, 2023 at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital as part of a Molecular Medicine and Methodology Seminar Series. The audience consisted of 47 colleagues in the Department of Clinical Chemistry at the University of Gothenburg.

Kristina Vukusic PhD, is a researcher in Professor Anders Lindahl’s group at the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the University of Gothenburg. She has expertise in regenerative medicine within cartilage and cardiovascular biology. Her current research involves the development of cell therapy for cartilage injuries.

Dr Kristina Vukusic presents AutoCRAT to the Department of Clinical Chemistry, UGOT2023-09-25T07:32:24+00:00

Prof. Meulenbelt, LUMC will present AutoCRAT data at knee OA public event in Leiden

On 23 September 2023 from 12:30 to 17:00, AutoCRAT PI Professor Ingrid Meulenbelt, LUMC will present her work within AutoCRAT as part of an osteoarthritis information afternoon organised by the orthopaedics department of the Alrijne Hospital outpatient clinic in Leiden, NL. This event aims to help people understand and cope with the challenges of knee osteoarthritis, as well as share the latest information and treatment options.

Orthopaedic surgeons Joris Jansen and Hugo Brouwers will give a presentation. Prof. Meulenbelt will present the latest cartilage studies and possible treatments in the near future, including her group’s stem cell therapy data. Around 200 patients are expected. Finally, Physiotherapist Maarten de Fockert (Physiotherapy Ommedijk) will explain the importance of continuing to move in a healthy way with images and practice. Together with lifestyle intervention expert Mariska Aanhane-Melissen, this promises to be an interactive session.

To view the programme and register to attend, click here.

 


Prof. Meulenbelt, LUMC will present AutoCRAT data at knee OA public event in Leiden2023-08-28T10:34:39+00:00

Professor Mary Murphy, AutoCRAT Coordinator, reflects on her career in regenerative medicine and academic research

The Coordinator of AutoCRAT, Professor Mary Murphy, spared some time to reply to a set of questions we posed to celebrate her career successes. Mary is a Professor of Regenerative Medicine and a Principal Investigator at the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at the University of  Galway in Ireland. Her research interests focus on the biology of stem cells and the development of innovative medicines and tissue engineering solutions for osteoarthritis and bone repair.

Can you give a tip or two to those aiming to become successful, leading academic researchers?

Prof. Mary Murphy

Professor Mary Murphy

To become a leading academic researcher, one has to really try and focus on research very early in their career. This is of course sometimes difficult as academics, particularly in Ireland, will have contracts that focus on teaching quite strongly as well as contributions to the university itself. However, if the particular person has had a successful postdoctoral career with some papers published, and in particular papers published in high-impact journals, they can become a very successful researcher. However, I can say for certain that it takes long hours certainly beyond what is usual for an academic. In terms of tips for achieving these aims:

          • start early
          • think of aiming to do a PhD in a very successful lab where 1) mentoring is available and 2) the possibility of moving on to a post-doctoral position in an associated laboratory, but in a slightly different area if possible and
          • a focus on positions to add to skills.

What are some of the ways your research changed from 1995 to 2023?

My first position in the area of cell therapy was as a doctoral researcher in the first stem cell company worldwide based in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. This was a very exciting time in the field and certainly jumpstarted my career as a researcher and ultimately as an academic focusing on the area of Stem Cells Research. There is no doubt that there have been many changes since I first entered the lab, where all work was performed manually. As such, progress was slow. Looking back it is clear that the field has moved on in a way that I never anticipated but working in the area Galway enabled the continuation of a career in the area and maintaining a strong research presence in the area of cell therapy.

In terms of ways that the research has changed, in one sense it has changed very little because the basic techniques are the same. However, in another sense, it has changed radically, particularly with the introduction of automation and newer and more complex equipment enabling the achievement of the same ends more rapidly. For example, automation for manufacturing ATMPs such as stem cells or gene-modified stem cells, as well as their secretome/extracellular vesicles has allowed us to continue to generate novel research findings in the field. This effort was enabled by two sequential European Union (EU)-funded projects, Autostem (Grant agreement ID: 667932) initially followed by AutoCRAT which is still in progress.

What is the biggest challenge you face within research today?

Continuing to obtain sufficient funding for research activities is one of the biggest challenges that researchers face. Funders such as the European Union continuously assess areas that they fund and themes change.  For example, funding for research in stem cell and gene therapies has reduced somewhat and researchers need to adapt rapidly to address the funding calls that become available. Another challenge in Ireland currently is that researchers trained in the area of stem cell or gene therapies are very employable with graduates employed by companies established in Ireland or further afield.

Which of your career achievements make you feel most satisfied?

In reality, these are also associated with research and training of researchers. The latter is probably the point that I am most proud of, but this is closely linked with the capacity to actually maintain the funding to train the researchers. As such, both could be put on an equal footing.  Additionally, I am also proud of the publications that we have achieved in the area and the fact that these are relevant, which is highlighted by the level of citations that have been achieved.

In your opinion, what is most exciting about osteoarthritis and MSC research today? What has enabled this progress? What is necessary to progress this further?

In our area, I think the most exciting advance in cell therapy is the use of induced pluripotent stem cells and their derived secretome–extracellular vesicles (EV).  If successful in the treatment of OA will certainly have a quicker translation through to actual patient use. Again, this is something we are looking at on AutoCRAT – making some progress but will be necessary to continue to look for more funding.

How is AutoCRAT important to the REMEDI/Curam at the University of Galway?

In terms of relevance to the University of Galway, AutoCRAT has enabled the training of early researchers and increased publications maintaining the profile of both REMEDI (Regenerative Medicine Institute) and Curam (https://www.universityofgalway.ie/curam/).

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love to garden and live in an area of considerable beauty (Connemara), hiking and walking when time is available. I also maintain an interest in sports, especially camogie and hurling.

Professor Mary Murphy, AutoCRAT Coordinator, reflects on her career in regenerative medicine and academic research2023-08-14T16:11:48+00:00

Meet Dr Matilde Balbi, working with Professor Chiara Gentili at UNIGE

Dr Matilde Balbi

We welcome our newest team member, Dr Matilde Balbi, based at the University of Genoa in Professor Chiara Gentili’s research group. Danielle Nicholson at Pintail Limited asked Matilde questions to become acquainted with her and her work.

Where did you grow up?

I was born and grew up in Genoa.

What and where did you study at university?

I am a pharmacist. I studied at the University of Genoa. As soon as I completed my internship for the experimental thesis, I realized that I would prefer to work behind a bench in a laboratory than in a pharmacy, despite the motivating work experience in a pharmacy when I was a Master’s student.

What was the nature of your PhD project? Where did you do this research?

I did a PhD in Experimental Medicine in the Pharmacology and Toxicology curriculum at the University of Genoa with a thesis entitled: “Group I metabotropic glutamatergic receptors regulating glutamate release and microglia phenotype in a murine model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis”. During my PhD, I spent some time at the University of Lausanne for a pilot research project on the role of astrocytes-derived extracellular vesicles in microglial activation. In the meantime, I have had the chance to collaborate with Prof. Uccelli’s research group to study the neuroprotective effect of extracellular vesicles secreted from mesenchymal stem cells on astrocytes in an in vitro model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

What is your role in AutoCRAT? Describe your work and the techniques/methods/technologies you plan to use.

Since the beginning of the postdoc in AutoCRAT in June, I started a new cell expansion of iMSC SD1, 2 and 3 to recover extracellular vesicles at early (P8) and late phase (P16) to analyse miRNA content. Extracellular vesicles are validated with FACS testing positive (CD90-CD105-CD44) and negative (CD31-CD34-CD45) markers. I extract extracellular vesicles from iMSC SD1 P11-12 to test their therapeutic potential on organ culture in collaboration with LUMC.

In your opinion, what is exciting about working on the AutoCRAT project?

It is exciting for a young researcher to be able to work on a European project and challenge myself with a topic far from my neuropharmacology background. The project involves many collaborations with different research groups that use different techniques and methods to try to give answers to the heterogeneity that characterizes a pathology such as osteoarthritis. The constant comparison between research groups is of great value.

What do you like most about living in (or near) Genoa?

Living in Genoa offers the possibility of having a territory that varies from the mountains to the sea. This allows you to range with the activities to do in your free time and to see contrasting landscapes in a few kilometres.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I love sports: I gladly jog along the sea, hike and ski but  I also go to the swimming pool or gym, especially in autumn and winter.

Meet Dr Matilde Balbi, working with Professor Chiara Gentili at UNIGE2023-08-08T14:44:25+00:00

AutoCRAT’s 2023 newsletter is out!!

Our annual AutoCRAT newsletter briefly highlights our progress and news. Not signed up? Please do so here!

Download the June 2023 newsletter here.

In this edition, Coordinator Mary Murphy of the University of Galway provides an in-depth research update. We shine a spotlight on one of our industrial partners Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT and delve into their role in AutoCRAT. We recap our involvement in UniStem Day 2023, and highlight the ways and means that AutoCRAT researchers in Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands are engaging with people with osteoarthritis and related EU-funded research projects. Finally, we provide a list of recent publications and international presentations from our partners. Enjoy!

 

AutoCRAT’s 2023 newsletter is out!!2023-06-13T13:21:45+00:00

AutoCRAT research presented at upcoming ISCT meeting in Paris

Louisa Weltin of Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) will present AutoCRAT findings at the upcoming International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) meeting in Paris. Louisa will present a poster (#840) titled: Automated iPSC, iMSC, iCHO and EV production at scale – Towards real-time release on the evening of June 1st, 2023 in the Poster Hall at the conference centre. 

The ISCT Annual Meeting takes an integrative approach across all stakeholders to address key topics spanning translational research and preclinical development through to clinical trials, regulatory approvals, commercialization and ultimately patient access. Topics are curated to address the biggest bottlenecks in cell and gene therapy development.

AutoCRAT research presented at upcoming ISCT meeting in Paris2023-05-30T11:11:43+00:00
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