Umbilical cord matrix (UCM)-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) are promising therapeutic candidates for Regenerative Medicine settings. However, given the high cell doses required for clinical applications, the large-scale manufacturing of UCM MSC complying with good manufacturing practices is mandatory. In a study published in the Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, a group of researchers from BERG-iBB reported the establishment of an integrated culture platform based on a human platelet lysate supplement for the effective isolation and expansion of UCM MSC, using a xenogeneic-free microcarrier-based system featuring easy scalability. This represents an important advance in obtaining safer and clinically meaningful MSC numbers for clinical translation.
Joaquim Cabral Gives Seminar at the Distinguished Seminar Series of Imperial College
The Director of iBB and Principal Investigator of SCBL, Professor Joaquim Cabral, will be giving a seminar entitled "Bioprocess Engineering Strategies for Stem Cell-based Therapies and Regenerative Medicine" at the Distinguished Seminar Series of Imperial College London. The Series, which is organised by the Department of Chemical Engineering, is aimed at exploring the views from distinguished academics from around the world in shaping the future of Chemical Engineering, the profession and its research agenda. The talk will be delivered at 9:30 on Monday 27th (Roderic Hill Building, room C616).
Sara Rosa Attends Bayer PhD Course 2016
Sara Rosa, a PhD student from SCBL and BERG-iBB attended the Bayer PhD course 2016 in Germany from the 7th to the 10th March. During this week, PhD students with Mechanical, Electronic Engineering and Biotechnology backgrounds and from diverse parts of Europe, EUA and India had the opportunity to know more about Bayer’s modus operandi, mission and values. The students worked as teams and discussed their PhD projects, visited the Leverkusen and Wüppertal site plants, met people working in the various company segments from Technology Development, Process Control Technologies to Supply Chain and got to know a bit of the story and the beauties of the main city Köln. About Bayer: Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science Fields of health care and agriculture.
Joaquim Cabral to Present Keynote Lecture at the 20th Annual Regenerative Medicine Workshop
The Director of iBB, Professor Joaquim Cabral, has been invited to deliver a keynote lecture entitled "Bioengineering Strategies for Stem Cell-based Therapies and Regenerative Medicine" at the 20th annual Regenerative Medicine Workshop. This prestigious meeting, which has a powerhouse line-up of speakers in a breadth of topics in the regenerative medicine field, will be held on March 16-19, 2016 on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina in Harbour Town.
Tiago Fernandes selected for 2016 Regenerative Medicine Workshop Young Investigator Postdoctoral Award
The work entitled, “Factorial Analysis of Signaling Pathways Involved in Pluripotency and Lineage Specification Reveals a Dominant Effect of Wnt Signaling in Mesendoderm Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells,” by Tiago Fernandes from BERG-iBB and coworkers has been selected for the inaugural 2016 Regenerative Medicine Workshop Young Investigator Postdoctoral Award, which will take place at the Harbour Town Clubhouse & Conference Center, SC, USA. As the awardee, Tiago Fernandes will be given a featured presentation at the workshop, on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.
Gelatin Scaffolds for Skin Tissue Engineering
Gelatin’s excellent foaming ability allows the application of in situ gas foaming as a preparation technique for porous scaffold development. Ina recent publication in the International Journal of Polymeric Materials and Polymeric Biomaterials, a team of researchers from BERG-iBB, and from The University of Northampton, report on a new iterative experimental design for the preparation of gellatin scafolds by an in situ gas foaming method . The prepared scaffolds were studied for applying the findings to the future skin tissue engineering scaffolds. The thermal stability, mechanical properties, and pore structure of the scaffolds are reported and their degradation resistance by using collagenase enzyme and their cytotoxicity by using fibroblasts were studied. The results of this study demonstrated that gas foaming method can be modified to produce an interconnected porous structure with enhanced mechanical properties.