Objective
1. Treatment of neurodegenerative disease is an unmet clinical challenge and patient care is a growing, unsustainable global healthcare burden. The project will produce novel tools to address this challenge.
2. The consortium will deliver a set of innovative analytical tools for neurodegenerative drug discovery using a combination of stem cell biology and novel biomaterials assembled by additive manufacturing.
3. The toolset will be analytical kits containing induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived human neural cells in 3D culture formats, delivered to end-users in multiwell plates ready for industrial screening.
4. Project outputs will be realised by an inter-disciplinary consortium of four SME commercial partners in three European countries, each partner supplying a specific, essential skillset.
5. iPSC-derived neural cells will be produced by Phenocell sarl (F) using stem cell differentiation protocols already shown to generate glial or neuronal cell lineages, and to reinstate donor disease phenotypes.
6. Bio-printer instrumentation and printable bio-inks to manufacture 3D scaffolds enabling 3D cell culture will be contributed by Cellink (SE).
7. 3D culture models will be customised for neural/neurodegenerative cell culture by inclusion of peptide dendrons with biological functionality using mature chemistry proprietary to Tissue Click Ltd (UK).
8. Cell-based analysis products will be validated, and made user-friendly by in situ cell cryopreservation and analytical processes familiar to AvantiCell Science Ltd (UK).
9. Each contributing technology is at TRL 6, and each has commercial utility in simpler combinations. The project assembles them in first-to-market formats beyond the current state of the art.
10. The CENSUS project output, comprising iPSC-derived neural cells cryopreserved in single-cell and co-culture 3D formats will deliver exceptional analytical precision and predictive value, unprecedented end-user convenience and strong commercial advantage
Fields of science
Not validated
Not validated
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug discovery
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomolecules
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cells
- social sciencessociologydemographycensus
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringadditive manufacturing
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
KA6 5HW Ayr
United Kingdom
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.