Supervised morphogenesis in gastruloids

Project Information

SUMO

Grant agreement ID: 101071203

DOI

10.3030/101071203

EC signature date 16 September 2022

Start date 1 November 2022

End date 31 October 2027

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost

€ 3 438 217,68

EU contribution

€ 3 337 725,00

Coordinated by

OSLO UNIVERSITETSSYKEHUS HF
Norway

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SUMO (Supervised morphogenesis in gastruloids)

Reporting period: 2023-11-01 to 2025-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Developing laboratory models that mimic organ functions are essential for advancing biomedical research and for reducing reliance on animal testing. Our project develops technologies that - based on early embryonic induction and vascularization - aims to generate embryonic organ structures.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

RP1: The SUMO consortium has developed advanced models for mouse gastruloid differentiation with a focus on conditions for the induction of the gut primordium induction and the heart field. An IT infrastructure for data sharing was set up, and machine learning was applied to predict gastruloid development. The consortium has initiated work towards embedding ethics to guide ethical and regulatory responsible work with human stem cell derived models.

RP2: The work in the second reporting period continues based on the achivements of RP1: Progress across work packages includes:
WP1: We developed stable mouse gastruloids with controlled lineage specification and a biobank of mESC lines.
WP2: We work towards a Raman analysis pipeline for tracking gastruloid development.
WP3: We developed a first iteration of machine learning classifiers to predict gastruloid development.
WP4: We work towards a vascularization platforms for gastruloids.
WP5: We work towards a human gastruloid differentiation protocol.
WP6: We work towards a closed-loop system for real-time gastruloid monitoring.
WP7: We work towards toxicology tests on gastruloids.
WP8: We work towards establishing an ethical and regulatory framework, engaging the research community.
WP9: We ensured effective communication and adherence to timelines.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The SUMO project is advancing gastruloid models (3D stem cell-derived models) that replicate early embryonic development. These models have the potential to revolutionize developmental biology, toxicology, and regenerative medicine. Fundamental advances were made to create robust anteriorized and ventralized mouse and human gastruloid models that show evidence for the inductive areas that are essential for early organogenesis. The fundament for a self-guided vascularization of these structures is currenly explored.