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Invitation to join ‘Regeneration | Innovation @ MRC-CRM’

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Dear All

Invitation to join ‘Regeneration | Innovation @ MRC-CRM’, Monday 8th May 2017 (12.00-17.00 BST)

**Discover translational opportunities in Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh**

As Director of the MRC Centre of Regenerative Medicine I invite you to join us to explore opportunities for partnership and collaboration in the translation of our basic and clinical stem cell research into tools and treatments.

We extend this invitation to industry, pharma, academia and funding bodies to join us in Edinburgh. Hear first-hand from some of our leading researchers as we showcase successful translational projects and new research opportunities to translate regenerative biology and medicine into solutions for a wide range of biological challenges and diseases.

This event is FREE, but places are limited so we ask you to register online via https://regeneration-innovation.eventbrite.co.uk.

 

Date:          Monday 8th May 2017, 12.00-17.00

Location:  MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh.

 

This event is jointly hosted by the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine (http://www.crm.ed.ac.uk/) and the UKRMP Niche Hub (http://www.ukrmp.org.uk/hubs/niche/)

Download the flyer with agenda here.

If you would like to discuss potential collaborations with certain PIs you can request one-to-one meetings with our researchers on the Monday 8th May (9.00-12.00), or the following day, Tuesday 9th May (9.00-13.00). Slots can be requested on https://regeneration-innovation.eventbrite.co.uk.

I am looking forward to welcoming you at our Centre.

Kind regards

Stuart J Forbes
Professor of Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine
Director MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine
Director UKRMP Hub for Engineering and Exploiting the Stem Cell Niche
The University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive Edinburgh, EH16 4UU
Email: crmdirector-pa@ed.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)131 651 9510

 

 

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New UK-Japan medical research collaboration

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A new agreement between the UK and Japan aims to promote international medical research collaboration, by combining world-class scientific expertise to help advance human health.

Image credit: Embassy of Japan, UK

On 1 February, the MRC and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Developmentopens in new window(AMED) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to advance a UK-Japan partnership in medical research and development.

The aim of the partnership is to promote research collaboration in areas of medical science that build on the strengths of both countries. The research fields identified as initial priorities for collaboration include regenerative medicine, dementia, antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease.

The Japan AMED supports integrated medical research and development, from basic research to practical applications, with the aim of achieving the world’s highest level of medical care and services, and to form a society in which people live long, healthy lives.

Professor Sir John Savill, Chief Executive of the MRC, and Professor Makoto Suematsu, President of AMED, signed the agreement at the Japanese Embassy in London, as part of an opening ceremony for a new AMED European office, based in London.

Professor Sir John Savill said: “The opening of a Japan AMED office in London is an exciting development that will open up new opportunities for UK researchers to work with world-class scientists in Japan’s medical research community, with an initial focus on neuroscience, regenerative medicine, antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease. Our agreement with the Japan agency represents our strong commitment to international research collaboration, aiming to speed up the development of new treatments for diseases, leading to better health for all.”

Professor Makoto Suematsu said: “We are delighted to announce the establishment of the AMED London office, which will serve as a European base from which to build new, and further strengthen, links the Japanese medical and healthcare research communities have with partners in the region. Furthermore, it is our sincere hope that our Memorandum of Cooperation with the MRC – a welcome opportunity to work more closely with world-leading research expertise in the UK – will lead to rapid, real-world benefits in terms of new medical treatments, extended healthy lifespans and improved quality of life.”

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Stem Cell research receives five-year funding boost

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The Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute is to receive a further five years of funding from the Wellcome Trust and MRC.

The Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (CSCI) is a world-leading international centre for stem cell research. Its mission is to transform the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease through a deep understanding of the mechanisms regulating stem and progenitor cells, both normal and pathological.

For further details see: http://www.stemcells.cam.ac.uk/news-events/news/renewal16

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ATREUM Conference – Registration now open

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The Engineering: Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (E-TERM) fellows have organised a conference titled ‘Advancing Tissue and Regenerative Engineering in UK Medicine (ATREUM) to be held at Crewe Hall from April 3-6th, 2017.

The principle aim of the conference is to bring together early career researchers (ECRs up to 10 years post-PhD) with funders and policy makers, identifying barriers to translation and setting the future direction of UK TERM research.

The event includes keynote lectures, ECR presentations, facilitated discussion and a social programme. We encourage registration of interest and abstract submission by ECRs with a particular interest in driving the direction of UK regenerative medicine research. Delegates will be selected based on submitted abstracts, and there are a number of bursaries available to ECRs covering conference expenses.

More details and the link for registration can be found on the ATREUM website (www.etermlandscape.com/atreum-conference)

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Regenerative Medicine Conference highlights progress being made in fast-growing field

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The inaugural UK Regenerative Medicine Conference opens its doors to leading scientists this week, showcasing the outstanding research that makes the UK a world leader in this fast-moving field.

Delivered by the UK Regenerative Medicine Platform (UKRMP) in partnership with UK Research Councils and the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, the two-day conference covers topics ranging from tissue regeneration to methods of cell and tissue replacement.

The conference brings together researchers from the UK and across the globe to present and discuss the latest advances in regenerative medicine. This interdisciplinary field has the potential to completely change the way we care for patients by helping to develop new treatments for a wide range of debilitating conditions.

Regenerative medicine also offers huge potential to support the UK economy; the sector in the UK is expected to create 15,000 jobs by 2020 and generate £5 billion of revenue by 2020. Statistics published by the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult show that investment in the cell and gene therapy industry in 2015 was over £400m at year end compared to £35m in 2012.

There have already been significant clinical advances thanks to regenerative medicine, with products available for skin regeneration for burns patients, the treatment of anaemia, cartilage repair in the knee, and the treatment of ulcers in people with diabetes.

One example of UKRMP-funded research is the potential of using stem cells to treat sight loss associated with age related macular degeneration; the leading cause of blindness in people over 60 in the western world. Professor Pete Coffey, at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, and his team are transforming cells taken from skin biopsies into stem cells. These stem cells will be converted into eye cells that will be transplanted back into patients’ eyes to preserve their sight. Stem cells from trial participants are currently being grown and it is hoped these can be transplanted to patients when regulatory approval is received.

A number of other regenerative treatments are also entering clinical trial, which should, in time, provide next-generation products offering treatments with long term benefits or cures for a range of conditions.

One of the presenters at the conference is Dr David Hay from the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. Dr Hay’s work focuses on the use of human stem cells to produce liver cells in the lab. The liver plays a vital role in the detoxification of foreign substances from the body. Dr Hay’s research gives crucial insight into how the liver reacts to varying levels of drugs in the body.

The cells grown in Dr Hay’s lab could prove invaluable to industry in drug development as they can provide a consistent and easily reproducible supply of human cells. It is hoped that eventually an artificial liver could be grown using these cells that could work alongside the body’s liver. This would reduce the stress experienced during acute liver failure, allowing the body’s own liver to recover naturally.

Leading regenerative medicine researcher Professor Molly Stevens from Imperial College London is also presenting at the conference, discussing her work on designing and developing bio-inspired materials, tissue engineering and biosensing.

molly-stevens

Image: Professor Molly Stevens presenting at the conference

 

Professor Stevens’ work will help to build artificial tissues that mimic normal cartilage structure and function, and could be used to repair damaged cartilage in joints, providing a much better treatment for patients than is currently available.

Dr Rob Buckle, UK Regenerative Medicine Platform (UKRMP), said: “UKRMP is a crucial link in the chain that brings research from the science bench to the patient’s bedside.  It provides the backbone for future discoveries and will generate real improvements in treatments for patients – from burns victims to arthritis sufferers to patients with Parkinson’s disease – and will help to further stimulate our economy.

Developing a strong relationship with academia and industry partners remains at the heart of what we do. To date 17 Universities and over 20 companies and are on board. Regenerative medicine is a jewel in the crown of UK science expertise and shows how the UK really is the best place to do research.”

Follow #RegenMed16 on Twitter for live coverage of the conference or find out more at:www.ukrmp.org.uk/news-and-events/uk-regenerative-medicine-conference

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Invitation for ‘Challenge Ideas’

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The consultation is now closed

see link below for the:

 Outcome from UKRMP2 Challenge Ideas Consultation

 

 

Background

The UKRMP initiative was established by BBSRC, EPSRC and MRC to promote translational research in regenerative medicine and address the knowledge gaps and obstacles where more development was needed to underpin the delivery of therapeutic approaches. Currently running from 2013 to 2017, the Platform has successfully established a broad-based yet coherent interdisciplinary programme that is making inroads on the key translational challenges.

 

Invitation for ‘Challenge Ideas’ – Remit

The UKRMP Hubs currently address five thematic areas:

  • Cell behaviour and differentiation linked to scale-up and manufacturing;
  • Engineering and exploiting the stem cell niche in order to deliver functional cells of therapeutic value;
  • Safety – focusing on quantitative imaging technologies;
  • Acellular approaches through the development of next generation scaffolds and biomatrices to support and delivery regenerative therapies;
  • Approaches to immune modulation in support of the development and clinical testing of regenerative strategies;

These thematic areas remain key bottlenecks for the field, and overcoming these barriers is critical to move forward and deliver the great promise of regenerative medicine. The science associated with regenerative medicine is progressing rapidly, and as the UKRMP sponsor group look towards future investment in the Platform, now is the opportunity to take stock of the current state of play of the field and ensure the Platform and its Hubs are best positioned to address the most pressing challenges ahead.

As such, we are issuing a call for ‘Challenge Ideas’ to provide an opportunity for all interested parties to highlight scientific areas and generic technologies and platform approaches that would significantly advance the overall mission of the Platform in its next phase.

The funders are very keen to receive ‘Challenge Ideas’ from the research community to enable us to fully explore potential opportunities and shape the call for proposals for UKRMP2, envisaged for early 2017. This will also inform the potential commitments to this call by the funders of the current UKRMP.

It should be emphasised that submission of an idea is not a pre-requisite for application to the forthcoming call, nor should it be considered an ‘Expression of Interest’ for future Hub providers. Rather this offers an opportunity to advise the development of the UKRMP2 agenda; the Challenge Idea submissions received will inform the shaping of the key requirements and remit for the future call, which will seek to continue to support a high-risk, innovative and interdisciplinary approach.

 

‘Challenge Idea’ – Proposal Requirements

Submissions should address the following points:

  • Clearly describe the nature of the translational challenge(s) to be addressed;
  • Outline why addressing the challenge(s) would make a difference to the field;
    • who would benefit by addressing the challenge;
    • what are the generic technologies or platform-based approaches which would be exploited to achieve this, and;
    • outline the breadth of areas of application and exploitation;
  • Provide conceptual ideas as to the approach to addressing the challenge(s), describing the maturity of the evidence base underlying the proposed idea. This should include;
    • Details of the technology required;
    • Details of whether the key basic science is in place and of the critical aspects relevant to ensuring transformative impact;
    • An outline of the discovery science/technological push and the clinical pull to provide evidence that appropriate real world issues are to be addressed;
  • Provide a brief overview of the UK strengths and breadth of inter-disciplinary collaboration in the area that would need to be assembled to achieve the goal (whether academic groups, clinical teams or companies);

Proposals are to be submitted as a PDF (4 page maximum length using Arial 11 point) to the UKRMP Programme Manager Dr David Pan david.pan@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk. 

Closing date for submission of ‘Challenge Ideas’ – Thursday 6 October 2016

 

 

Steps towards the call for ‘UKRMP2’ Hub Proposals

The submitted ‘Challenge Ideas’ will be used to inform the development of a full funding call for ‘UKRMP2’ Hub proposals as outlined below, and guide the potential commitments of the funders.

  • Challenge Ideas will be considered by a panel comprised of the UKRMP Programme Board supplemented with additional expertise;
  • The evaluation will take account of the scientific opportunities and national capabilities presented, and lead to a recommendation to the sponsor group as to the desired components and specification of a call for UKRMP2 Hub proposals;
UKRMP2 Timeline
24 Aug 2016 Launch Call for Challenge Ideas
6 Oct 2016 Closing date for Challenge Ideas
End Oct 2016 Expert review of Challenge Ideas
Early Mar 2017 Anticipated launch of UKRMP2 call
End July 2017 Anticipated deadline date for UKRMP2 applications
Jan/Feb 2018 Anticipated announcement of awards
Apr 2018 Anticipated UKRMP2 awards start

 

Contacts and Guidance

Dr David Pan
Programme Manager, UKRMP
e-mail: david.pan@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
Telephone: 01793 416430

Guidance can also be sought from:

 

BIOREGATE – Registration now open

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Bioregate Forum is an biennial European meeting dedicated to the “4R Medicine”: Repair, Replacement, Regeneration & Reprogramming. A regenerative medicine forum to highlight latest scientific, technological, clinical & commercialization approaches in the field of cell & gene therapy, stem cells, biomaterials and tissue engineering. Its vocation is to enhance links between researchers, clinicians, industrials and institutional stakeholders such as those responsible for regulation and reimbursement changes, and thus to shorten time to market for the patients’ benefits.

 

The Bioregate Forum 2016 will feature :

  • Conference sessions with industrial & academic experts
  • Round tables gathering research centers, companies and institutions
  • An exhibition area (please contact us if you are interested in exhibiting)
  • Poster sessions
  • Networking sessions
  • A gala dinner

A dedicated interclustering & matchmaking afternoon will be organised by our 2 French Bio-clusters –
Atlanpole Biotherapies & Medicen, on 7th September,the day before Bioregate Forum, featuring:

  • A presentation of the different European regenerative medicine ecosystems & networks
  • Overview of European project financing opportunities
  • A roadshow to key sites/platforms/companies in Nantes
  • A dedicated matchmaking between European delegations, in order to make the most out of this travel.

A great opportunity to meet all the key innovative actors in the field of regenerative medicine and find collaborative partners!

For more information visit:  www.bioregate-forum.com

Our partners

Regener8-Medical Technologies IKC Annual Conference

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Date: July 1, 2016 @ 8:15 AM

Location: Horizon Conference Centre, Leeds

“Building the Regenerative Devices Industry”

Book now: https://regener8-ikc2016.eventbrite.co.uk

Regener8 and the Medical Technologies IKC are to host a one-day conference, focussing on best practice in translating regenerative devices – a potential £1bn industry in the UK.

For the agenda and more inforation see http://medical-technologies.leeds.ac.uk/event/regener8-medical-technologies-ikc-annual-conference/#sthash.kjmEQ4ch.dpuf

Our partners

Registration open for the Inaugural UK Regenerative Medicine Conference

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Royal Institute of British Architects, 66 Portland Place, London, W1B 1AD

CGT_Blue_CellGene_RGB_exclusion                                      Print

Registration now open

The UK Regenerative Medicine Conference being held in London at RIBA on 20 and 21 September 2016 (with dinner on 20 September) will draw together leaders in the field from the UK and across the globe to present and discuss the latest advances in regenerative medicine. As capacity for this event will be limited, those interested in attending are asked to pre-register their interest to allow numbers to be managed and industry/academic balance to be maintained.  Whilst pre-registration will not guarantee a place, the registration link, once live, will be circulated to those who have been selected to register prior to tickets going on general release allowing you to confirm your place ahead of this date.

The draft agenda for the Conference can be found here and the list of speakers confirmed so far is available here.

To register for the conference, please contact scientificevents@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk  providing your name, affiliation, full contact details and also whether you would like to provide a poster presentation at the event. As capacity for this event will be limited, those interested in attending are asked to register their interest to allow numbers to be managed and industry/academic balance to be maintained.  If you are invited to register, you will subsequently be sent an invitation from Eventbrite allowing you to formally register.

Registration fees are £60/£160 for academic and industry delegates respectively, with an additional £40 payable if you wish to join the dinner on 20 September.

Speakers include:

Dr Sajjad Ahmad
Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool

Professor Robin Ali
University College London, Institute of Opthalmology

Professor Andrew Baker
Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh

Professor Martin Birchall
University College London, Ear Institute

Professor Kevin Docherty
School of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen

Professor Stuart Forbes
MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh

Professor Robin Franklin
Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge

Dr David Hay
MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh

Professor Giovanna Lombardi
MRC Centre for Transplantation, King’s College London

Professor Mark Lythgoe
University College London, Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging

Professor Fergal O’Brien
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Professor Richard Orreffo
Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration, University of Southampton

Professor Martin Pera
Stem Cells Australia

Professor Martin Pule
Autolus/University College London

Professor Dr Petra Reinke
Kidney Transplant Outpatient Clinic, Berlin-Brandenburg Centre for Regenerative Therapies, Germany

Dr Michael Roberts
Synpromics Ltd

Professor Matt Rosseinsky
Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool

Professor Molly Stevens
Department of Materials, Imperial College London

Professor David Williams
Centre for Biological Engineering, Loughborough University

 

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From cells to cell products development of new therapeutic tools

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The Department of Women’s and Children’s Health of the University of Padua in collaboration with The Pontifical Academy for Life is organizing the Third International Congress on Responsible Stem Cell Research that will be held in Padua, 16-18 November 2016.

http://www.stemcellspadua.org/

3rd International Congress on Responsible Stem Cell Research.

 

 

 

For registration and further details see: http://www.stemcellspadua.org/

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