• 3H Biomedical AB
  an innovative life-science company that develops market-driven products and testing for cell research, the cell-based tissue engineering market and therapeutic vaccine market.
  3H Biomedical has recently been awarded funds by the EU FP6 to start (in December 2006) a three year project developing Stem Cell Therapy Technologies for the treatment of degenerative muscle disorder, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). 3H Biomedical AB is an innovative life-science company that develops market-driven products and testing for cell research, the cell-based tissue engineering market and therapeutic vaccine market. 3H Biomedical AB began to operate in April 2004. Dr. Mallen Huang and Dr. Anders Gobl are the founders of the company. 3H Biomedical have extensive expertise in the areas of cell and tissue culture, including: Stem cells, EPCs, Mesenchymal stem cells, Immune cells, Primary cell culture, Cell transplantation, Gene-modification of primary cells, Immunology, and Molecular Biology, as well as the formulation of therapeutic vaccines for the treatment and prevention of cancer and other diseases. The companys R&D focus is on developing and validating:
  1. Primary cell-based assays for drug screening, biocompatibility testing, toxicity studies
  2. Cell therapeutics, therapeutic cancer vaccine technology platforms, adult stem cell therapies
• Bioneer A/S
  Bioneer A/S is an independent, research-based company within biomedicine, biomedical technology and biotechnology owned by the technical University of Denmark.
  Bioneer provides companies access to essential technology and biological resources for product and process development. Bioneer has a commercial track record in several areas: enzymes for the pharma and ingredients industry; new complete bacterial and mammalian systems for production of recombinant proteins; state of the art technology for molecular diagnostics based on specialized DNA, RNA and protein detection methods; mammalian cell models for biocompatibility analysis and immunological testing. Bioneers new strategy is focused on systems biology aided development of new therapies, new specialized molecular targeting technology and regenerative therapy.
• East of England Stem Cell Network
• Cellartis AB
  a Swedish biotechnology company focused on the provision of pluripotent stem cells and technology for drug discovery research, toxicity testing and regenerative medicine.
  The company is the world’s largest single source of defined hES cell lines,and has more than 30 well documented human embryonic stem cell lines, of which two are listed on the NIH Stem Cell Registry and 20 in the UK Stem Cell Bank. Also, Cellartis has successfully established and characterised the first truly xeno-free human embryonic stem (hES) cell line, an important step towards a hES cell line for clinical use. The company’s strategy is to accelerate product development by working in partnership with academia and industry towards advanced stem cell products and technologies. Cellartis focuses on quality and scale-up production, which are crucial success factors for future growth. The company was founded in 2001 and has the headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden.
• Centre for Neuroscience Research, Kings College London
• British Embassy in Copenhagen
• British Embassy in Stockholm
• Gene Therapy & Stem Cell Biology Unit, Eye Hospital Jules Gonin
  Retinal Stem Cells and Retina Repair
  My main stem cell project is based on retinal repair using retinal stem cells. We have isolated and characterized a population of retinal stem cells in the newborn mouse retina which has a tremendous capacity to expand and to generate a high percentage of retinal neurons throughout passages. We identified a protocol to induce around 30% of the cells into a photoreceptor fate. Stem cells and differentiated cells were tested in different transplantation paradigms. In parallel, we isolated adult retinal stem cells from the human eye and attempt to conduct the same type of experiments described for the mouse cells. In summary, we are dealing with neural stem cells to repair neurodegenerative diseases of the eye.
• GE Healthcare, Cell Technologies - UK & Nordics
  Stem cells have the potential to transform medicine. To help achieve this potential GE Healthcare provide the enabling technologies used by top medical and research experts in medical diagnostics, diagnostic imaging, HLA (in full ) typing, blood cell processing and storage, as well as reagents for advanced stem cell research and cell therapy clinical R&D.
• Goteborg University, Center for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation
  The research group focus on (1) characterise the molecular mechanisms in adult neurogenesis, (2) activating progenitor cells in neurological diseases.
  As new nerve cells are constantly reformed in the adult brain in mammals, neuroplasticity - replacing the lost nerve cells due to disease or damage - is possible. Many of the basic mechanisms in the adult brain’s neurogenesis (regeneration of nerve cells) , such as controlled stem cell growth, aimed migration and specific neuronal differentiation, we know little about and needs to be studies on a molecular level in order to develop new strategies for treatment of CSN related diseases. 1. We still know very little about the key steps needed in order for a stem cell to develop into a mature nerve cell. By characterising the individual steps with the help of subclass specific markers we can define the different development stages and characterise their molecular set up through the use of different micro arrays. Genetic manipulation such as inducible cre-lox systems, allows cell specific expression and the possibility to knock out genes in progenitor cells to determine their functional role in adult neurogenesis. 2. The group works with a number of animal models for neurological diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, neonatal radiation injury and neonatal hypothyroidea. Each of these diseases affect the stem cells and the progenitor cell pool and require specific ways to activate the endogenous neurogenesis and thereby decrease the functional difficulties.
• Invest in Sweden Agency
• InvitroQ ApS, iNANO , University of Aarhus
• Karolinska University Hospital
  We are taking part in the building of a stem cell consortium at the Karolinska Institute to facilitate the bridging between preclinical and clinical research
  Karl-Henrik Grinnemo is a cardiothoracic surgeon at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm Sweden. His research is performed at the Karolinska Institute and is focused on stem cell therapy. The institution is collaborating with professor Outi Hovatta at the Gynaecology department, who is a well known person working with the derivations of new stem cell lines. She has been one of the pioneers in harvesting the inner cell mass of the blastocyst in a mechanical manner and cultured these embryonic stem cells on human skin feeder cells. These are two important prerequisites to get these cells into clinic. Another important issue is the immune response these cells induce when transplanted into patients. To solve this problem we have characterized the immunological response induced by human embryonic stem cells when transplanted in a xenogeneic and allogeneic setting. Furthermore we have looked at different differentiation systems to get the embryonic stem cells into cardiomyocytes and how these cells behave when transplanted into the myocardium of mice.
• Lone Frank, Science author
  communication consultant for different companies and organizations such as Medicon Valley Academy.
  Lone started her professional career after finishing her MSc in Biology in 1992. She started her PhD in Neuroscience by working as a brain scientist with an American Biotech Company. Upon her return to Denmark, she finished her PhD and worked as a freelance journalist communicating scientific research to Danish Newspapers. She joined Plougmann, Vingtoft & Partners as a patent consultant, where she drafted patents and licenses within the biotech and pharmaceuticals industry. Since 1997 Lone has been a close follower of the research coming from the biotech and medical fields and she has been featured in numerous magazines, newspapers, radio and TV programs. She has authored and published her research in several international scientific journals. Her writing about science has appeared in journals such as "Science" (USA) and "Nature Biotechnology" (UK) and newspapers such as Jyllandsposten, Weekendavisen and the Frankfurter Algemeine Zeitung. Recently Lone published the debate book "The New Life". In 2002 Lone was nominated for the World Economic Forum's "Global Leaders of Tomorrows Community" and in 2003 she was appointed by the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation as a member of the Think Tank. In 2004 she was nominated for the Future Prize and Wilhelm Bergsøe Fondens Prize for her efforts in communicating science.
• Medicon Valley Alliance
• Sahlgrenska University Hospital
  Professor Peter Eriksson  Professor and consultant in Neurology at the Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Section for Experimental Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska University Hospital.
  Principal investigator of the Neural Stem Cell laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, founded 1996, currently involving 15 co-workers with main focus on basic mechanisms for stem cell based therapy and repair in the central nervous system. The laboratory has an internationally leading position. First group ever to demonstrate e to show that the human brain contain stem cells that generate neurons throughout life (Eriksson et al., Nature med. 1998). Multiple research awards. Co-Founder of and Member of the Board of Directors at Arvid Carlsson Institute. Co-Founder of and Member of the Board of Cell Therapeutics AB and Co-Founder of Sahltech AB. Member of the Board of Celectricon AB.
• UK Trade & Investment
• University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine
  Embryonic stem cells and neuropathology / heart disease
  We are interested in the derivation/use of embryonic stem cells with a special focus on transfer to the GMP/clinical use. We can distinguish 3 different activities in our Geneva team. (i) we have established a structure of human ES cell derivation from spared embryos (Dr Anis Feki). ES derivation in Geneva will be performed in GMP conditions to ensure a future clinical use for such cell lines. (ii) We are involved in academic research on human embryonic stem cells in the field of cell therapy /neuropathology (Pr Karl-Heinz Krause). We have engineered a promoter/reporter gene system in mouse ES allowing high throughput screening of FDA-approved compounds that trigger neuronal differentiation. In the same way, we apply this system to the dopaminergic differentiation. (iii) Finally, the group of Dr Marisa Jaconi is interested in the cardiac differentiation of embryonic stem cells for the treatment of heart disease.
• University of Southern Denmark, Institute of Medical Biology
  Research areas
  Developmental neurobiology: Development of neurons and glia, and formation of synaptic connections.
  • Stem cells: Neural stem cells and neural cell lines, incl. isolation, propagation, differentiation and transplantation, and characterization of neural stem cell microenvironment - brain interaction.
  • Neurodegeneration: Experimental models for neurodegenerative diseases (stroke, Parkinsons and Alzheimers diseases, brain and spinal cord trauma), identifying mechanisms of neurodegeneration (mitochondrial dysfunction, excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, apoptosis) and neuroprotective strategies.
  • Restorative neurobiology and neural plasticity, incl. neuroprotection, axonal sprouting and regeneration, neural transplantation and stem cell therapy.
  • Neurotoxicology: Development of alternative in vitro screening methods.
  • Neuroinflammation: Effects of CNS inflammatory responses on brain repair.
  • Neurochemistry/neuropharmacology, focussing on glutamatergic and catecholaminergic neurotransmission, energy metabolism
  Current research projects
  • Modulation of neural stem cell proliferation, neurotransmitters and receptors after injury and pharmacological stimulation, studied in experimental hippocampal, nigrostriatal and corticostriatal in vivo and in vitro model systems for cerebral ischemia, epilepsy and Parkinson´s and Huntington´s diseases
  • Neurodegenerative effects of excitotoxins, metabolic toxins and organic solvents, screened and quantified in organotypic brain slice cultures
  • Neuroprotective and morphogenetic effects of neurotrophic factors, including application of transfected neural cell lines ('cell factories') and correlation of glutamate receptor modulation, neurotrophin expression and neuronal structure
  • Role of microglial cells and cytokines in ischemic brain injury (in vitro stroke model) and in relation to postlesional axonal plasticity and repair (trauma/neurodegeneration models)
  • Signals for cell proliferation, migration and differentiation studied using neural progenitor cell-brain slice coculture systems
  • Slice culture models of Parkinson´s disease: Pathogenesis of nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration and neuroprotective strategies
  • Monitoring and modulating energy metabolism and hypoxic-ischemic brain injury using in vivo microdialysis, microperfusion of slice cultures and biosensor-based detection
• ZGene A/S
  MD Per Almquist, Ph.D., Medical director and responsible for clinical development of stem cell-mediated suicide gene therapy in neuro-oncology.
  Associate Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at the Karolinska Institute. Trained in neuroscience and neurosurgery at Karolinska Institute and Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, and in pediatric neurosurgery at British Columbias Childrens Hospital, Vancouver, Canada. Industry experience as a Clinical Research Physician at AstraZeneca R&D, Clinical Project
  
• Prof Patrik Brundin
  a renowned researcher in the field of Parkinsons disease, and has published several hundred papers on this topic.
  Field of expertise: Neural transplantation, in particular in Parkinsons disease. Stem cells for brain repair. Huntingtons disease pathogensis, in particular transgenic mouse disease models. Parkinsons disease pathogensis. In 1988 he obtained his PhD thesis at Lund University working on the topic of intracerebral transplantation in Parkinsons disease. He was part of the research team that first developed a feasible clinical procedure for intracerebral transplantation in PD patients. His PhD thesis was followed by a MD at the same University (1992). He presently holds a professorship in Neuroscience at Lund University, and leads a research group that is active in all areas of investigation related to experimental models of neurodegenerative diseases (www.nesu.mphy.lu.se). He is the coordinator for several national and international networks, including The Nordic Centre of Excellence of Molecular Mechanisms in Neurodegeneration and NeuroFortis, a strong research environment appointed as one of 12 environments nationwide by the Swedish Research Council. Patrik Brundin is also the Head or the Department or Experimental Medical Science at Lund University. The Department study biological processes that govern normal human bodily functions that are involved in disease pathogenesis. The mission is to perform molecular, cellular and integrative research at the highest international level and to train a new generation of successful scientists.

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