GENOSTEM: Adult mesenchymal stem cells engineering for connective tissue disorders from the bench to the bed side

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 03.0584-2

Key words (English)

Adult mesenchymal stem cells; stem cell engineering; connective tissue disorders

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: 503161

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 6. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.1b

Short description (English)

See abstract

Abstract (English)

The objective of this Integrated Project Genostem is to establish an European international scientific leadership for stem cell regenerative medicine in the field of connective tissue disorders. Autologous adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are optimal candidates to serve as the building blocks for the engineering of connective tissues being multipotential stem cells that give rise to osteoblasts, chondrocytes and tenocytes, muscle cells and adipocytes. Genostem will compare different tissue sources of MSCs and isolate subsets in order to obtain undifferentiated MSCs, committed MSCs at early stage of differentiation, progeny blocked at specific differentiation stage and fully differentiated progeny. Genostem will study the complete MSC gene product repertoire using genomic and proteomic analysis that should provide with the molecules and pathways potentially operative for the maintenance and differentiation of stem cells. Genostem will develop innovative technologies to generate biodegradable matrices, scaffolds and microcarriers that bind pharmacologically active proteins and allow their delivery in a controlled way; these biomaterials will allow to engineer MSCs such as to obtain optima repair of the target injured tissue. Genostem will improve methods for gene transfer using original virus or nor viral delivery systems in order to carry out gain (gene transfer) and loss (siRNA transfer) of function studies. Genostem will develop transplantation models of MSCs mimicking human pathological processes operative in bone cartilage and tendon diseases. The final goal is to develop clinical trials using MSCs, in bone, cartilage and tendon disorders, in partnership with SMEs and regulatory bodies for the scale up of safe procedures, taking advantage of the experience already acquired by one of the partner in clinical trials using cultured muscle cells.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 03.0584-2