Objective
"In hiPSCmore (read hiP-See-More), my team and I will engineer fluorescent sensors in the DNA of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) so we can “See More” during high-throughput imaging screenings (imHTS) for drug discovery and regenerative medicine.
Since hiPSCs can differentiate in most cell types in the human body, they are the ideal cell source for more predictively screening therapies. Yet, hiPSCs are expensive to maintain and require external reagents to visualize pathophysiological changes, which adds to the screening cost and complexity. In fact, the major hurdle in adopting hiPSCs for imHTS has been the price increase from <0.10 $/data point to 2+ $/data point.
In the context of our ERC Stg, we genetically encoded fluorescent sensors for cell structure, function, and cell cycle progression directly into hiPSCs for in-vitro modeling of heart development. With those sensors, we can visualize pathophysiological changes through reagents provided by the cells themselves. Thus, the more experiments we conduct, the cheaper they become. We believe this is the strategy to bring hiPSCs into imHTS, where testing millions of compounds vanishes an experiment's marginal cost. Like software.
To explore this opportunity, we envision three main objectives.
1. Technology feasibility. We will scale up the production of our SeeMore hiPSCs and validate their cost-effectiveness in drug screening and regenerative medicine applications.
2. Business feasibility. We will analyze market dynamics and customer preferences in the drug screening and regenerative markets to define the most efficient go-to-market strategy.
3. Executive management. We will work with stakeholders in our advisory board to delineate IPR, business strategy, and future fundraising opportunities for a SeeMore spin-off company.
Through these activities, the SeeMore spin-off will incorporate the right mix of tech development and business savvy in its own DNA, so it can ""seize more"" of the HTS market."
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug discovery
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftware
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNA
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cells
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept GrantsHost institution
27100 Pavia
Italy