UCL Biochemical Engineering, together with several external ‘spokes’ has recently been awarded a large EPSRC Hub grant to address the manufacture of stratified protein and personalized cellular therapeutics. We are leading a work stream on manufacturing and analytics for T-cell immunotherapies and have established several exciting new projects that aim to address fundamentals of the processing and measurement of T-cells. Working with collaborators in academia (Dr Kenth Gustafsson, UCL Institute of Child Health) and industry (Autolus Ltd.), these new projects aim to deliver novel processing and measurement understanding that will advance the industry. More details to follow very soon…
By Ran Mo
My project aims to support the development of tissue engineered bone using titanium-doped biocompatible glass, under the supervision of Dr Ivan Wall, and David De Silva Thompson. The central focus of the project is to investigate whether these bioglasses are truly resorbable. Revolving around this simple question, we want to know whether osteoclasts can resorb the material to balance out the synthesis capability of MSCs, which is necessary for natural bone remodelling and homeostasis. Work is kindly supported through collaboration with Professor Tim Arnett, UCL Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, and Professor Jonathan Knowles, UCL Eastman Dental institute, and their intelligent crews. By Vitória Costa Curto
The main objective of this project is to investigate the potential of sodium alginate hydrogels as a vehicle for the delivery of a newly derived cell line of human OECs for cell therapy of neurologic injury. To meet this goal, first of all it is necessary to find a way to successfully encapsulate the cells into the hydrogels and ensure they can be maintained in the hydrogels. Important parameters to assess include cell attachment and cell viability. Ultimately, it should be possible to conclude if this presents a viable method for human OECs storage and delivery and whether it is worthy of further investigation and testing. By Ana Valinhas
Increasing numbers of cell therapies are predicted to move from clinical trial to a commercialization stage. This creates a need for adequate large scale manufacturing processes able to produce high amounts of therapeutic cells with the correct attributes. Nowadays process development is achieved through macroscale approaches such as microwell plate screenings which leads to unrealistic results given that these are performed in static conditions. Additionally, high costs are associated with large quantities of input materials that are ultimately needed. A high throughput strategy based on a perfused microfluidic device can be used as a first level screen of parameters such as the type of medium, feeding regime, substrate for cell attachment and use of small molecules that influence stem cell fate. The objective of this project is to develop a microfluidic device used for the screening of parameters that influence stem cell characteristics using typical bioprocessing materials. This technology will serve as a platform used as a first approach to find optimized conditions to expand and differentiate different types of stem cells. This work is being undertaken in collaboration with Prof Justin Cooper-White, University of Queensland, who developed original technologies in this area. By Gerardo Santiago Toledo
We aim to develop a serum-free cell culture protocol that can sustain cell proliferation of gene-modified, conditionally immortalised and hard-to-grow human cell types. Biologically enhanced serum-free media compositions for the expansion of candidate therapeutic cell lines will be generated from different conditional immortalisation methods and using synthetic proteins with enhanced . By Ivano Colao
Within this project we aim to assess current purification methods and to develop a novel, scale-able process for the purification of exosomes for a regenerative therapy whilst retaining optimal efficacy/potency. By Will Miligan
This project aims to improve process and product understanding around long-term expansion of MAPCs on microcarriers for large-scale expansion processes. Understanding the impact of these process changes on the phenotypic and functional properties of cells is crucial for effective process development. By Joana Dos Reis
The aim of this project is to develop in vitro assays for characterising an OEC cell line, to confirm functional equivalence between primary and immortalized OECs in order to determine Critical Quality Attributes (CQA) of the cells for neuronal regeneration. Co-culture of olfactory ensheathing cells and fibroblasts for spinal cord injury applications9/1/2014
By Rachael Wood
The aim of this project is to investigate the relationship between olfactory ensheathing cells and olfactory fibroblasts and how this relationship can be applied to spinal cord injury. Initially whether olfactory fibroblasts enhance olfactory ensheathing cell growth will be determined, following this, the mechanisms of this relationship will be investigated. Towards Standardized Functional Release Assays for Cell Therapy Candidates for Ischemic Injury.9/1/2013
By Fatumina Said Abukar
This project focuses on using a design of experiment approach (DOE) to identify the critical quality attributes (CQAs) of cell therapy candidates. Current assays lack in robustness and reproducibility. We aim to develop standardized assays that can be used as a first screen platform for cell therapy products in clinical applications and at industrial scale. by Dr. Melanie Georgiou
Project Ref. BB/K011154/1 The current project is aimed at generating stable allogeneic cell lines from olfactory ensheathing cells for the treatment of spinal cord injury. The project aims to develop a new cell line with pioneering British regenerative medicine company ReNeuron. This project aims to address a key bioprocess challenge, which is to create new platform technologies that have generic potential for large-scale expansion of therapeutic cell products to fulfil the needs of the industry and facilitate safe administration of novel treatments. By David Roshan De Silva-Thompson
We aim to use titanium doped phosphate glass as a platform for culturing microunits of tissue engineered bone using scalable reactor technology. The role of titanium doped bioactive glass is being widely studied as an implantable scaffold material for bone defects. Illustrating many benefits such as its ability to degrade in vivo whilst remaining non cyto-toxic at certain concentrations coupled with its maintained structural stablity, confirms its potential as an attractive alternative for bone regeneration. Understanding their impact and effect in culture, along with their ability to be used at reactor scale provides the rationale behind the project. By Carlotta Peticone
This project focuses on the use of bioactive phophate glass for bone regeneration. In particular, I've been looking at the effect of titanium and cobalt ions on osteodifferentiation and vascularization, and on strategies to scale up in vitro bone production using microcarriers and bioreactors. As part of a collaboration with Prof. Cooper-White, I spent nine months at the Australian Instititute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) at the University of Queensland, working at the development of miniaturized bioreactor for 3D tissue production. |
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