Stem Cell Clinic

Victorian research institute takes lead in nation-first stem cell therapy … – Australian Manufacturing

The Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) is launching an Australian-first stem cell therapy trial aimed at addressing a rare genetic disorder, the Victorian Government announced in a media release.

Minister for Medical Research Ben Carroll made a visit today to the MCRI, located within the premises of Parkvilles Royal Childrens Hospital (RCH) to make the announcement.

The clinical trial is set to provide hope for young Australians grappling with RAG-1 deficient Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (RAG-1 SCID), an exceptionally rare genetic condition.

The trial is an extension of ongoing research at Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands and is made possible through the support of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW consortium) in partnership with the Melbourne Childrens Trials Centre.

The Victorian Government is demonstrating its unwavering commitment to this vital research endeavour by investing $1 million in the MCRI.

This investment will also further enhance the MCRIs stem cell research and regenerative medicine capabilities, bolstering its pivotal role within the new reNEW consortium.

Minister for Medical Research Ben Carroll expressed his enthusiasm for the trial, emphasising that it would provide young Australians born with RAG-1 SCID the prospect of leading a happy, healthy and long life.

Victoria is renowned as a global centre for medical research and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute is just one example of the incredible work being done that is having a positive impact on peoples lives, the minister noted.

In particular, RAG-1 SCID is a genetic condition that results in affected children being born without immune cells capable of fighting infections.

This leaves these young patients exceptionally vulnerable to common illnesses, often leading to tragic outcomes as most infants born with this rare genetic condition succumb to infections during their first years of life.

The clinical trial involves extracting stem cells from the participants bone marrow, genetically modifying them to incorporate a healthy copy of the RAG-1 gene, and then injecting them into the childs bloodstream.

These modified cells will develop into healthy white blood cells, thus establishing a fully functional immune system.

While RAG-1 SCID is rare, each year sees several babies diagnosed with this condition in Australia, as reported by the Victorian Government.

In the 2023/24 Victorian Budget, $9 million was allocated to genetic testing to facilitate targeted treatment options for children, increase treatment accessibility, and enhance outcomes for patients with rare diseases and cancer who require specialised therapies.

The MCRI, one of Victorias 12 independent medical research institutes, holds the distinction of being the largest child health research institute in Australia and is ranked as the third highest globally.

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Victorian research institute takes lead in nation-first stem cell therapy ... - Australian Manufacturing

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy Shows Cognitive and Biomarker … – Neurology Live

A new interim analysis of an open label trial presented at the 2023 MSMilan, the 9th Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS meeting, held October 1113, in Milan, Italy, revealed significant beneficial effects on cognition and on objective biomarkers of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, among patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with repeated intrathecal (IT) injections of autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSC).1

In 15 tested patients treated by at least 2 injections of MSC, 9 such patients improved between 5% and 18% in 25 feet walking. In addition, the average standard score of 4 cognitive tests taken by patients improved from 0.11 at baseline to 0.33 following 3 MSC injections over a year. Among 22 patients who received at least 1 MSC treatment, 13 of them showed improvement in the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) scores, one of the cognitive tests. Notably, 6 of 17 treated patients improved by more than 4 degrees in SDMT in 3 consecutive tests over a year.

In this analysis, lead author, Petrou Panayiota, MD, senior neurologist, Unit of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Center and The Agnes-Ginges Center for Neurogenetics at Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem, Israel, and colleagues primarily evaluated the effect of repeated MSC transplantations on cognition in patients with progressive MS. Additionally, the researchers investigated objective serum biomarkers of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, specifically neurofilaments light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) with the therapy.

The open-label extension enrolled 48 patients with either secondary progressive MS or primary progressive MS who participated in the previous double-blind trial (NCT02166021) with MSC injections. The researchers used 4 cognitive tests including the SDMT, California Verbal Learning Test, Brief Visuospatial Memory Test, and Controlled Oral Word Association Test to assess patients at baseline before treatment, and at 4-5 time points following the first MSC-injection. At the same time, researchers also tested for serum NfL and GFAP levels using Quanterix technology (SIMOA).

READ MORE: Satralizumab Continues to Show Long-Term Efficacy in AQP4-IgG-Seropositive NMOSD

Among available data, 17 patients were treated with at least 2 intrathecal injections of MSC between 3 and 6 months apart, and 12 patients received 3 MSC injections. For treated patients, NfL levels reduced from a mean of 15.7 pmol/ml at baseline to 12.8 pmol/ml during the post-treatment year while GFAP levels also reduced from 191.4 pmol/ml at baseline to 155.4 pmol/ml.

In the previous double-blind randomized study conducted by Petrou and colleagues, IT injection of autologous bone marrow derived MSC showed robust clinical and radiological effects in patients with active and progressive MS.2 Enrolled patients had evidence of either clinical worsening or activity during the previous year between 2015 and 2018 andwere randomized into 3 groups: IT or intravenous (IV) autologous MSCs (1 106/kg) or sham injections.

After 6 months, half of the patients from the MSC-IT and MSC-IV groups were retreated with MSCs, and the other half with sham injections. Patients initially assigned to sham treatment were divided into 2 subgroups and treated with either MSC-IT or MSC-IV. After 14 months of the study, instigators did not observe any serious treatment-related safety adverse events. Significantly fewer patients experienced treatment failure in the MSC-IT and MSC-IV groups compared with those in the sham-treated group (6.7%, 9.7%, and 41.9%, respectively, P = .0003 and P = .0008).

During the 1-year follow-up, 58.6% and 40.6% of patients treated with MSC-IT and MSC-IV, respectively, had no evidence of disease activity compared with 9.7% in the sham-treated group (P <.0001 and P <.0048, respectively). In addition, the MSC-IT transplantation induced additional benefits on the relapse rate, on the monthly changes of the T2 lesion load on MRI, and on the timed 25-foot walking test, 9-hole peg test, optical coherence tomography, functional MRI and cognitive tests. Overall, treatment with MSCs was well-tolerated and induced short-term beneficial effects, especially in the patients with active disease. Notably, the IT administration was more efficacious than the intravenous in several parameters of the disease.

Click here for more coverage of MSMilan 2023.

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Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy Shows Cognitive and Biomarker ... - Neurology Live

Research Fellow (Aging and Cancer Stem Cell Laboratory … – Times Higher Education

Job Description

The National University of Singapore invites applications for Research Fellow under Aging and Cancer Stem Cell Laboratory in the Department of Physiology,Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

We have a deep interest in identifying genes and pathways that are crucial for normal and cancer brain stem cell function, as such studies have implications in regenerative medicine and cancer. Appointments will be made on a one-yearcontract basis, with the possibility of extension with good performance.

Purpose of the post

The Research Fellow (RF) will be responsible to, and work closely with the Principal Investigator and study team members to ensure the successful completion of the experiments on time. The RFs principal role will be to design and execute experiments, analyze data, write manuscripts and manage experimental protocols.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The Research Fellow (RF) will be conducting research related to brain stem cell function in the normal brain and during malignancy. The RF will be able to:

Qualifications

The applicant should possess:

Remuneration will be commensurate with the candidates qualifications and experience.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

More Information

Location: Kent Ridge Campus Organization: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Department: Physiology Employee Referral Eligible: No Job requisition ID: 20169

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Research Fellow (Aging and Cancer Stem Cell Laboratory ... - Times Higher Education

Human-derived proteins used in DREAM tool – Drug Target Review

CRISPR-DREAM tool used to activate insufficiently expressed genes and convert skin cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

Published in Nature Methods, Rice University bioengineers developed a tool that activates silent or insufficiently expressed genes using human-derived proteins termed mechanosensitive transcription factors. These naturally enable cells to switch on specific genes in response to mechanical cues.

Called CRISPR-DREAM, which stands for CRISPR-dCas9 recruited enhanced activation module or DREAM for short, the tool is smaller, more effective and less toxic to medically useful cell types compared to other technologies used to control gene expression. It may enable safer cell and gene therapies and more accurate disease models to address haploinsufficiency disorders which cause several difficult-to-treat conditions like epilepsy, some forms of cancer, immunodeficiency and Alzheimers disease (AD).

Dr Isaac Hilton, Assistant Professor of Bioengineering and Biosciences at Rice University, said: Many human diseases are driven by problems with too little of a gene being produced. He continued: You encounter these health issues where people dont make enough of a certain protein or gene product, and in those cases, unfortunately there are often few therapeutic options.

To address this problem, researchers have utilised CRISPR-based targeting systems to create cutting-edgesynthetic transcription factors. The majority of these tools are built with materials of nonhuman origin, which may come with unwanted side effects.

One challenge with some of the current technologies is that they are built using viral proteins that have evolved to reprogram how our cells work, and they do so in ways that are of course not necessarily beneficial, Hilton said. And even though virally derived elements can be engineered to work for the host cells benefit, we and others have observed in our research that they can still cause some toxicity in human cells.

Instead of relying on virally derived proteins, Barun Mahata, a postdoctoral researcher in Hiltons lab and the studys lead author, endeavoured to employ transcription factors that human cells already produce and use. Mahata fused the specific parts of these proteins responsible for activating genes to CRISPR-based programmable delivery platforms with a method intended to enhance their transcriptional powers.

We harnessed the natural ability of human-derived transcription factors, or proteins responsible for gene synthesis in the cells of our body, said Mahata. The transcription activation units we built function in a very precise way. They induce gene activity where we target them and can activate very rapid and robust transcription.

They also help tackle another disadvantage of current synthetic gene-activation platforms, which are often too large for efficient delivery to human cells.

What we did was look for small segments of human proteins that we could leverage to apply these technologies in human cells more effectively, said Hilton. When we started this project of building synthetic transcription factors with human-derived proteins, we wanted to identify the ideal source material with compactness being one key factor.

Human mechanosensitive transcription factors proteins that our cells and organs use to respond to mechanical forces met the researchers criteria, being relatively small, quick-acting and widely used by nearly all human cell types.

Additionally, the team activated up to 16 different locations on the genome simultaneously, a record number for synthetic transcription factors.

The reason why that capability is particularly important is because when our cells perform a function, its not just that they turn on a single gene, Hilton explained. Instead, they typically turn on whole constellations or networks of genes in concert. And we can now use these synthetic transcription factors to mimic and engineer what our cells do naturally.

The researchers showed that the DREAM tool can be used to convert skin cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in a dish as a proof of concept exercise, a feat that Hilton says carries tremendous biomedical utility in the future.

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Human-derived proteins used in DREAM tool - Drug Target Review

Plant Stem Cells Market to Attain a Revenue of US$ 801.9 Million By … – Medgadget

In 2022, The Global Plant Stem Cells Market revenue was US$ 371.4 million and is projected to attain a valuation of US$ 801.9 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 8.93% during the forecast period from 2023 to 2031.

The plant stem cells market is still emerging, constantly updated with new developments and studies exploring their potential. This rise in demand is a result of rapidly expanding industries mainly cosmetics and pharmaceuticals using plant stem cells capacity for regeneration. This product helps the end-users to improve their product quality and capture the attention of consumers. As a result, a large number of manufacturers are including plant stem cells in their product formulations to get the desired result. In line with this, the market has witnessed tremendous growth in research and development activities to explore growth potential and revenue opportunities in products that are used for skin regeneration, whitening, tanning, moisturizing, and cleansing.

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As per the recent report published by Astute Analytica the global cosmetics market was valued at US$ 262 billion in 2022 and will witness the highest CAGR of 4.3% during the projected period. Also, the cosmetic industry is contributing more than 47% of revenue to the global plant stem cells market. As per our recent survey on consumer trend analysis, it was found that 65% of customers globally prefer cosmetic chemicals originating from plants. Thus, demonstrating a substantial shift in end-user behavior. In line with this, prominent businesses namely Oriflame, Mibelle AG Biochemistry, EJO Skin, etc., use plant stem cells in their products.

Shift in Trends: Manufacturers Obtaining Ethically Sourced Plant Stem Cells

It was prominently observed that over 63% of customers globally showed concern about the origin of plant stem cells utilized in products and their potential effects on the environment. As a result, manufacturers have started taking steps to meet the consumer demand for ethical sourcing and biodiversity protection. For instance, the market witnessed more than 25% growth in the companies that have opted for certificates for products that were sourced ethically in 2022. Unhwa Corporation, Stempeutics, and STEMCELL Technologies are some of the companies that obtain plant stem cells ethically. Additionally, eco-friendly sourcing is used in products like PhytoCellTecTM Goji and Patagonia Berry Stem Cell Mask.

Asia Pacific Contribute Over 23% of Revenue Share: Making it a Largest Market

The Asia Pacific plant stem cells market accounts for nearly 23% of revenue share. Also, the region contributes 9% of annual growth to the market, with China, South Korea, and India being the main contributors.

Comparing Asian cosmetic firms to their Western counterparts on a global scale, the inclusion of products derived from plant stem cells has increased by 20%. Asia Pacific is now a huge contributor to the market expansion as this is consistent with the cultural preference for botanical ingredients.

According to our recent survey on consumer analysis, an astounding 80% of Asians still use traditional herbal treatments. In line with this, the cultural proclivity is driving the acceptance of plant stem cell products. It has been observed that consumers are ready to pay premium price for buying cosmetics products having plant stem cells. For instance, the cost of a tomato anti-oxidant cream is US$ 10, while a stem cell anti-oxidant cream, which contains extracts from tomato plant stem cells, can be priced at US$ 50, even though both creams have the same fundamental ingredients. This increase in commercialization opportunities has fueled the industrys interest in creating additional stem cell products and services directly marketed to consumers.

For the full report, please follow this link:-https://www.astuteanalytica.com/industry-report/plant-stem-cells-market

The global plant stem cell market segmentation focuses on Location, Application, End-User, and Region.

By Location

By Application

By End User

By Region

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Plant Stem Cells Market to Attain a Revenue of US$ 801.9 Million By ... - Medgadget

Global Culture Media Market Size to Reach USD 15.84 Billion in … – GlobeNewswire

Vancouver, Oct. 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Current Market Scenario (Market estimates)

The global Culture Media Market size was USD 5.43 billion in 2020, and is expected to register a revenue CAGR of 9.3% between 2021 and 2032. Steady market revenue growth is driven by rising need for monoclonal antibodies, growing emphasis on personalized medicine, increasing prevalence of infectious diseases, rising investment in research & development of innovative cell culture products, rising awareness about vaccines based on cell culture, and high demand for single-use technologies.

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Drivers: Increased Investment in Research & Development of Innovative Cell Culture Products

Increased investment in research & development of innovative cell culture products is a key factor driving culture media market revenue growth. Cell culture media is an important component in producing cultivated meat. Cell culture media is necessary to keep the cells healthy and alive. Currently, most of these media are very expensive and oftentimes deliver inconsistent outcomes. A limited number of species-specific formulations of commercial culture media exists in case of cultivated meat firms dealing with fish species. For instance; in September 2020, GFI announced providing a two-year grant to a research project focused on development of a serum-free, high-quality fish cell culture media, which is an essential move in making cultivated seafood to reach market. Researchers at Virginia Tech are developing a formulation for open-source media improved for growing fish cells. This research project deploys artificial neural networks and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to optimize cell culture media for better thriving of fish cells.

Restraints: Cost Prohibitive Culture Media and Contamination Risks

Cost prohibitive culture media and contamination risks may hamper market revenue growth over the forecast period. Culture media comprise various ingredients such as serum and nutrients for cell growth, which makes the product very costly. Also, issues associated with specificity, variability, and standardization may also impact market revenue growth negatively. Sometimes, ingredients procured from poor sources can lead to contamination risks of cell culture media. This factor would also restrain demand for culture media.

Growth Projections

The global culture media market size is expected to reach USD 15.84 billion in 2032 and register a revenue CAGR of 9.3% over the forecast period, attributed to growing population, especially geriatric population, and rising prevalence of infectious diseases. Increasing prevalence of infectious diseases and rising need for development of more efficient drugs to combat resulting conditions are driving market revenue growth. Infectious diseases are considered to be the foremost cause of mortalities across the globe, particularly in young children living in low-income countries. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), diarrheal diseases and lower respiratory infections were included in the top 10 leading causes of death worldwide in 2019. Culture technologies are considered crucial for identification of infectious diseases, despite significant increase in molecular testing, as pathogenic organisms causing disease are required to be separated from other microbes in mixed cultures. In addition, occurrence of an organism is necessary for assessing the probability that a specific organism is responsible for a said disease, unlike a culture.

COVID-19 Direct Impacts

COVID-19 pandemic has boosted demand for culture media, as many biotechnology firms are conducting in-vitro R&D for vaccines and antivirals. In-vitro assessment of vaccines normally requires a culture media for identifying and analyzing the response and growing targeted microbes. Increasing emphasis on research & development of vaccines by various pharmaceutical companies to curb spread of COVID-19 virus is also propelling market revenue growth.

Current Trends and Innovations

Increasing trend of single-use technologies plays a pivotal role in driving market revenue growth. In the biotechnology industry, use of single-use technologies has become a common practice. Engineers and researchers are utilizing plastic components as an alternative to stainless steel items in biomanufacturing processes. In cell culture production, adoption of single-use is quite essential and these cell growth systems may be wave-type bioreactors, plastic bioreactors, or plastic linings present in stainless-steel support. Reusable or disposable probes are present in all systems that protrude through an interior sleeve or attach to the outside. Majority of the connections depend on separate systems having aseptic/plastic connectors. Single-use systems are pre-cleaned and pre-sterilized, generally via gamma irradiation. Hence, there is no requirement for cleaning, sterilization, or sanitization steps. It saves money on use of chemicals for cleaning, as well as power and equipment needed to produce pure water and steam.

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Geographical Outlook

Culture media market in Asia Pacific is expected to register fastest revenue CAGR during the forecast period, attributed to increasing geriatric population in countries such as Japan and China and increase in prevalence of chronic diseases. In addition, increasing prevalence of contagious diseases, high demand for personalized medication, and presence of biotechnology firms such as Daiichi Sankyo Company Limited and large population base in countries in the region are also contributing to market growth.

Strategic Initiatives

In December 2018, Fujifilm acquired IS Japan (ISJ) and Irvine Scientific Sales Company (ISUS). Both companies have expertise and technological know-how on cell culture media. Irvine Scientific Sales Company distributes its products mostly in Europe and the US, whereas IS Japan distributes its products primarily in Japan and various other Asian countries. Both of these firms offer culture media to bio-ventures, pharmaceutical companies, and academia. Fujifilm is a photography and imaging firm in Japan. It has entered into stock purchase contract worth approximately USD 800.0 million.

Scope of Research

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Major Companies and Competitive Landscape

The global culture media market is moderately fragmented, with a large number of small- and medium-sized companies accounting for a major revenue share. Major companies have well-established facilities and enter in acquisitions & mergers, strategic agreements, and engage in various research & development activities and initiatives to develop & deploy new and more efficient technologies & products in the culture media market. Some major players operating in the culture media market are:

Strategic Development

In December 2019, Sartorius, which is a life science research firm, made an announcement about signing an agreement for the acquisition of Biological Industries. The latter is an Israel-based firm involved in cell culture media development and production. Sartorius would purchase 50% shares of Biological Industries for worth over USD 52.0 million.

Some Key Highlights From the Report

Browse a Detailed Summary of the Research Report @ https://www.emergenresearch.com/industry-report/culture-media-market Emergen Research has segmented global culture media market on the basis of type, research type, application, end-use, and region:

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Global Culture Media Market Size to Reach USD 15.84 Billion in ... - GlobeNewswire

Singamaneni to develop advanced protein imaging method – The … – Washington University in St. Louis

Cell-secreted proteins, such as antibodies, hormones and neurotransmitters, play a crucial role in maintaining overall health and well-being. They are also key components in disease research and in developing diagnostic tools and personalized medicines. However, current methods for studying these proteins are limited to observing large groups of cells together, which makes it difficult to discern individual cell behaviors and differences.

With a $450,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, Srikanth Singamaneni, the Lilyan & E. Lisle Hughes Professor in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, will develop a method called Plasmon-Enhanced Expansion FluoroSpot (PEEFS) to address these limitations. PEEFS combines a very bright fluorescent nanoparticle with expansion microscopy to image secreted proteins with high sensitivity and precision and accurately measure differences between cells.

The project represents a potentially transformative advance, particularly in immunology, oncology, stem cell biology and other life-science disciplines. With PEEFS, researchers will be able to image and quantify protein secretion at extremely high resolutions down to the level of a single cell revealing cell-to-cell variability and interactions and the spatial and temporal dynamics of cell-secreted proteins.

This story was originally published on the McKelvey School of Engineering website.

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Singamaneni to develop advanced protein imaging method - The ... - Washington University in St. Louis

Overcoming Cancer Therapy Obstacles With Epitope Editing – The Scientist

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a deadly disease that presents unique treatment challenges. The cancerous hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) can be treated using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, but not in a targeted manner; the AML markers recognized by these therapies are also expressed by healthy HSPC and differentiated myeloid cells. This makes it impossible for current treatments to selectively kill the cancer cells, which causes significant toxicity and prevents successful HSPC transplant.1

In a study published in Nature, researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School addressed this key obstacle.2 Editing specific epitopes of receptors expressed on the surfaces of healthy donor HSPC rendered the cells resistant to CAR T cell therapy.

Prior to this study, it was not very well characterized that its possible to abrogate the binding of therapeutic antibodies or CAR T cells with just one amino acid change in the extracellular domain of a protein, said hematologist and coauthor Gabriele Casirati of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. That was one of our main discoveries.

Casirati and his colleagues selected three well characterized AML surface markers that are currently being targeted with CAR T cell therapy: FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3/CD135), KIT (CD117), and the subunit of the IL-3 receptor (IL-3RA; also known as CD123). These proteins associate with almost all cases of AML and their overexpression on AML cells correlates with relapse and low survival rates, but they are also expressed in healthy cells at various stages of hematopoiesis.

The research team extensively screened cells for possible mutation sites in the genes encoding the surface markers. They hoped to identify sites that prevented the antibody portion of the CAR T cells from binding to them without interfering with the genes other critical cellular functions.

For each gene, they identified several such possible mutation sites. We were lucky enough that at least some of these mutations could be inserted by adenine base editing, Casirati explained. We tried conventional nuclease-based editing, but avoiding double-strand breaks is fundamental [for safety] so I wanted to go with the least toxic possible gene editing technology.

Using this information, the team performed adenine base editing of the epitopes in healthy human HSPC, creating a stealth version of each receptor.3 While the majority of nonedited HSPC were killed by CAR T cells directed against the markers in in vitro assays, epitope-edited cells survived. Each line of edited cells also maintained its stemness and differentiation capacity.

To minimize the chance of tumor escape and prevent relapse, CAR T cell therapies can target more than one AML marker. This led the team to produce cells expressing multiple edited epitopes. Casirati emphasized that the success of multiplexed editing is a key finding of the paper; using a mouse model, he and his team found that dual-edited FLT3 and CD123 HSPC survived in the presence of bispecific CAR T cell therapy targeting both markers. This approach fully eradicated AML cells in the tested tissues.

This paper is state-of-the-art in terms of doing epitope editing of these hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells that will still preserve their normal hematopoietic function, said Jeffrey Taub, a pediatric oncologist at Wayne State University who was not involved in the research. Definitely also, in terms of being able to target multiple genes simultaneously for AML with immunotherapies, [that] would be much more effective than only targeting one gene.

Casirati said that the study has implications that reach far beyond the treatment of AML. In the broader sense, [our work] is one of the first papers that shows how we can manipulate healthy tissues to endow them with new functions, he concluded.

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Overcoming Cancer Therapy Obstacles With Epitope Editing - The Scientist

The Pershing Square Foundation Is Accepting Applications for Its … – Yale School of Medicine

The Pershing Square Foundation has announced the opening of applications for the 2024 MIND (Maximizing Innovation in Neuroscience Discovery) Prize. Since the prize launched in 2023, it has been awarded to seven multidisciplinary investigators from institutions across the country. The annual prize awards $250,000 per year for three years ($750,000 total) to at least six scientists looking to uncover a deeper understanding of the brain and cognition. The prize is meant to enable the most talented early-to-mid-career investigators to pursue bold, creative projects that could have transformative impacts on the field of brain research.

Neurodegenerative diseases are like the Eldredge knot, nearly impossible to untie. Stemming from compromised cellular pathways, neural circuit dysfunctions, genetic risk factors, pathological epigenetic landscapes; these networked ailments are tightly coupled and profoundly intertwined, said Pershing Square Foundation Co-trustee Neri Oxman, PhD.

The MIND Prize calls for the creation of a road map to enable the understanding of related pathologies at a cellular and molecular level; to develop a single yet holistic theory blending genetics, environmental insults, and viruses, and to comprehend the bodys natural defenses against NDDs. Through MINDand its communitywe seek to disentangle cause-and-effect and offer radically novel insights into disease prevention and treatment. We believe in unforeseen visions made possible by interdisciplinary and trans-modal approaches that combine genetics with mobility, applied physics with neurodegeneration, memory and AI, and more.

The Pershing Square Foundation remains fueled by the urgency of this vast problem, and the individualsacross ages and disease stateswhose lives this work could and should transform. We remain enthusiastic, hopeful and proud of the bold work set forth by our first cohort of grantees, and the next, and the next, continued Oxman.

Applicants must have between one and ten years of experience running their own laboratories by the award start date (May 2024), hold a PhD, MD, or MD-PhD (or degree equivalent), and be affiliated with a research institution in the United States of America. The deadline to submit a Letter of Intent is November 13, 2023 at 5:00pm EST. For more details on the MIND Prize and the application process, including the full eligibility criteria, a link to FAQs, and a link to the application submission platform, please visit: https://pershingsquarefoundation.org/portfolio-organization/mind-prize/.

The highly competitive MIND Prize will catalyze novel and daring interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary work by facilitating collaborations across academic departments and institutions and amongst the academic, biomedical industry, philanthropic, and business communities. These breakthroughs in basic, fundamental research will help augment the toolkit for, and knowledge of, neurodegenerative and neurocognitive disorders. Projects may range from the invention of novel tools, techniques, and technologies for mapping and analyzing the brain to bold approaches that demonstrate extraordinary therapeutic potential.

Our first year of the MIND Prize impressed us with the remarkable talent across the country, said Olivia Tournay Flatto, PhD, president of the Pershing Square Foundation and co-founder and executive director of the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance. This year, we are looking forward to receiving more bold proposals from researchers who arent afraid to tackle an old problem in a new way, that compel us to find new paths forward in the fields of neurobiology, immunology, engineering, computational biology, and more. We are grateful to our Scientific Advisory Board, which includes experts spanning across scientific disciplines, ready to help The Pershing Square Foundation uncover transformative and novel projects from investigators ready to change the field as we know it.

"The MIND Prize is allowing me to start projects that otherwise I wouldn't be able to do with traditional funding sources. said 2023 MIND Prize winner Sergey Stavisky, PhD, assistant professor at the University of California, Davis, It's letting me do something that's very hard, that's risky, that hasn't been done before, and to do it at a much earlier stage of my career."

The MIND Prize is proud to rely on the guidance of a highly accomplished scientific advisory board:

About The Pershing Square Foundation

The Pershing Square Foundation (PSF) is a family foundation established in 2006 to support exceptional leaders and innovative organizations that tackle important social issues and deliver scalable and sustainable global impact. PSF has committed more than $600 million in grants and social investments in target areas including health and medicine, education, economic development and social justice. Bill Ackman and Neri Oxman are co-trustees of the foundation. For more information visit: http://www.pershingsquarefoundation.org.

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Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies Lead the … – PR Newswire

DUBLIN, Oct. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The"Microcarrier Market, Size, Global Forecast 2023-2030, Industry Trends, Growth, Share, Outlook, Impact of Inflation, Opportunity Company Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global Microcarrier Market is poised to achieve a substantial valuation of US$ 3.43 billion by 2030, according to a comprehensive market analysis.

Microcarriers, vital in the growth of adherent cells in bioreactors, are revolutionizing biopharmaceutical and cell therapy production. This versatile technology supports the cultivation of virus-generating or protein-producing adherent cell populations, playing a pivotal role in large-scale biologics and vaccine manufacturing.

Key Market Drivers:

Market Opportunities:

Microcarrier Market Expected to Grow at a CAGR of 8.85% from 2022 to 2030

The Microcarrier Market is experiencing significant growth, driven by the need to enhance vaccine production yields, reduce costs, and address a wide range of diseases. Biologics and regenerative medicine are witnessing substantial demand, with a focus on innovative treatments and constant technological advancements in cell biology research.

Key Market Challenges:

Despite these challenges, the Microcarrier Market is growing, having reached USD 1.74 billion in 2022.

Microcarrier Beads: The Leading Consumables Fostering Growth

Microcarrier Market's Consumables segment includes Microcarrier Beads and Media & Reagents. Microcarrier beads take the lead, thanks to their pivotal role in biotechnology and cell culture. These beads provide a flexible platform for cell attachment and growth, facilitating the production of biopharmaceuticals, vaccines, and cell-based therapies. Their ability to support high cell densities and scalability in bioprocessing makes them indispensable for efficient and cost-effective solutions.

Cell Therapy: Fastest-Growing Segment

Cell therapy is the fastest-growing segment in the Microcarrier Market, driven by regenerative medicine and the expanding use of cell-based treatments. Microcarriers provide an essential platform for cultivating and expanding cells used in cutting-edge therapies, including stem cell-based cures, immunotherapies, and tissue engineering applications.

Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies: Market Leaders

Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies lead the Microcarrier Market, relying extensively on microcarriers for various applications. They play a crucial role in the production of biopharmaceuticals, vaccines, and cell-based treatments. Continuous investments in research and development, along with innovation in microcarrier technology, further bolster the demand for microcarriers.

The United States: Driving Innovation in the Microcarrier Industry

The United States stands out in the Microcarrier Market, known for its innovation and technological advancements. With a robust research and development environment, a vast pool of biotech and pharma companies, and strategic collaborations with academic institutions, the U.S. Microcarrier industry leads in areas such as stem cell therapy, vaccine production, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

Key Players:

The Microcarrier Market continues to evolve, driven by the growing demand for biologics, regenerative medicine, and innovative cell-based therapies. As the industry expands, it promises advancements in healthcare and biopharmaceuticals.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction

2. Research& Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Growth Drivers 4.2 Challenges

5. Global Microcarriers Market

6. Global Microcarriers Market - Share Analysis 6.1 By Product Type 6.1.1 By Consumables 6.2 By Application 6.3 By End User 6.4 By Countries

7. Product Type-Global Microcarriers Market 7.1 Consumables 7.1.1 Microcarrier Beads 7.1.2 Media & Reagents 7.2 Equipment

8. Application- Global Microcarriers Market 8.1 Cell Therapy 8.2 Vaccine Manufacturing 8.3 Others

9. End User- Global Microcarriers Market 9.1 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies 9.2 Contract Research Organizations & Contract Manufacturing Organizations 9.3 Academic & Research Institutes

10. Countries- Global Microcarriers Market 10.1 North America 10.1.1 United States 10.1.2 Canada 10.2 Europe 10.2.1 France 10.2.2 Germany 10.2.3 Italy 10.2.4 Spain 10.2.5 United Kingdom 10.2.6 Belgium 10.2.7 Netherland 10.2.8 Turkey 10.3 Asia Pacific 10.3.1 China 10.3.2 Japan 10.3.3 India 10.3.4 South Korea 10.3.5 Thailand 10.3.6 Malaysia 10.3.7 Indonesia 10.3.8 Australia 10.3.9 New Zealand 10.4 Latin America 10.4.1 Brazil 10.4.2 Mexico 10.4.3 Argentina 10.5 Middle East & Africa 10.5.1 Saudi Arabia 10.5.2 UAE 10.5.3 South Africa 10.6 Rest of the World

11. Porter's Five Forces Analysis- Global Microcarriers Market

12. SWOT Analysis- Global Microcarriers Market

13. Key Players Analysis

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/o18ciu

About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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