The Project

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by artifical device or donor organs. However the number of available donor organs is critically limited. Organs or tissues created de novo using tissue engineering with autologous stem cells is an alternative. Adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are present at multiple anatomical sites and represent ideal sources as building blocks for regenerating connective tissues.

 

The objective of GENOSTEM is connective tissue repair via engineering of MSCs. This is achieved through 5 major strategies:

 

1. To purify and optimize the culture of Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) collected from the bone marrow, skeletal muscles, fat pads, vascular walls, placental and adult peripheral blood of humans and rodents.

2. To identify novel factors essential for MSC proliferation and differentiation.

3. To engineer MSCs (or differentiated progeny) with the appropriate scaffold to obtain repair of the target tissue and to define optimal conditions for transplantation of MSCs in normal and pathological tissue.

4. To develop clinical trials using autologous MSCs in bone, cartilage, and tendon disorders.

5. To actively exploit the results, including communication with the public, patenting and licensing leading to clinical application.

GENOSTEM consortium leverages the intellectual capital and know-how from both the academic and industrial sectors. Our founding principles are knowledge creation and sharing to fully exploit the potential of GENOSTEM and to promote innovative medicines for the benefit of European citizens’ health .

 

Bone, cartilage and tendons have a limited capacity for self repair, insufficient after injury or disease. When organs or tissues are irreparably damaged  they may  be  replaced