Research

Life Sciences & Biotechnology

Title :

Manufacturing therapeutic quality human mesenchymal stem cells using microfibrillar cell culture cartridges: A passage-free single-step process for producing minimally manipulated adherent stem cells for regenerative medicine

Area of research :

Life Sciences & Biotechnology

Focus area :

Stem Cell Manufacturing

Principal Investigator :

Dr. Binul Nelson Sathy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Health Sciences Campus, Kochi, Kerala

Timeline Start Year :

2023

Timeline End Year :

2026

Contact info :

Details

Executive Summary :

Cell therapy has the potential to repair and regenerate diseased, dysfunctional, or injured tissues, but its full potential remains unfulfilled, particularly with adherent therapeutic cells like human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Expansion of hMSCs from donor tissues is necessary for clinical use, but the current expansion process depletes their functionality and regenerative capability. There is no simple and cost-effective alternative to conventional cell culture plasticware or microcarrier systems-based 2D-culture platforms, which compromise the therapeutic potency of hMSCs during cell manufacturing. Developing an innovative cell manufacturing device and process that can overcome these challenges is vital for harnessing the full therapeutic benefits of MSCs. The objective is to design and develop an innovative microfibrillar membrane-based cartridge that can isolate, immobilize, retain, and expand hMSCs from adipose tissue derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) for cell therapy without the use of conventional cell culture plasticware and periodical passaging procedure. The highly flexible microfibrillar polymeric membrane (MPM) made from biocompatible, semi-crystalline inert polymer polycaprolactone with suitably engineered surface functionality (FMPM) can provide a superior substrate with sufficient growth area for the expansion of MSCs. An FMPM-based Cell expanding Microfibrillar Cartridge Device (CMCD) can be a simple and scalable system for manufacturing hMSCs with full functionality and least manipulation compared to existing methods.

Co-PI:

Dr. Thadi Mohan, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Haryana Kochi Health Sciences Campus, Kochi, Kerala-682041, Dr. Subramania Iyer, Amrita Institute Of Medical Sciences, Kochi, Kerala-682041

Total Budget (INR):

53,57,264

Organizations involved