The main milestones achieve during the Marie-Curie fellowship were: 1) We have been able to generate billions of steroid-producing cells. 2) Steroid-producing cells can produce the human steroid cortisol, one of the main regulators of human physiology. 3) Human steroid-producing cells are able to respond to ACTH, the main stimulator of cortisol production in the adrenal gland.
If animal in vivo experiments proof the success of this technology, patients suffering from adrenal insufficiency can benefit from a significant improvement of their quality of life. Instead of taking life-long medication, which it is far from optimal, patients might use a cellular therapy-base approach, with cells that can autonomously sense the physiological requirements of the body during time.
Towards the end of the funding period, we have also filed provisional patent applications in Europe (EP 22160580.4) and US (No. 63/263795), entitled “A method for producing induced steroidogenic cells and use thereof in cell therapy”. This will allow, in the future, to use this approach in the industry contex to develop good manufacturing practice (GMP)-grade cellula products that can be used in the clinic.
The project GHSO has been presented to both lay and specialized audience, in Germany (Uniklinikum Dresden), USA (Boston Children's Hospial, Harvard Medical School) and Spain (Hospital Clínic de Barcelona). I authored a publication adapted for kids aged 7-9 and their parents for the journal “Frontiers of Young Minds” (doi: 10.3389/frym.2022.683150) published on April 24th 2022.
