Shows
BioInnovator SpotlightSégolène Martin, CEO and co-founder of KantifyArtificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are revolutionizing almost every field. Drug discovery - the process of identifying druggable targets and potential therapeutic compounds - is a long, costly, and often laborious process wherein researchers may sift through thousands of therapeutic candidates for a target looking for a hit.After many decades of experimentation, millions of data points on targets and therapeutic compounds exist for all kinds of disease indications. This is far too much information for even a top team of humans to interpret, but can artificial intelligence algorithms make sense of it all to improve the drug...2023-12-2116 min
BioInnovator SpotlightJack Reid and Adam Glen, co-founders of Unicorn BiotechnologiesMammalian cell culture is difficult to scale up. Many cell types do not grow well in suspension and preferably attach to surfaces like the bottom of their flasks. Currently, researchers examine this growth manually and culture cells by hand in specialized cell culture flasks.Cell culture is critical in many fields of research, from healthcare to future food technology, and scaling this technique using automated processes is the holy grail of manufacturing cell-based products that are both affordable and high-quality.Unicorn Biotechnologies was founded by Adam Glen and Jack Reid to take on this challenge...2023-12-0719 min
BioInnovator SpotlightKianti Figler, CEO and co-founder of Upstream FoodsAlternative meat products are a simple answer to the challenge of sustainably feeding a growing population worldwide. These foods, often made from plants and fungi, mimic existing familiar meat products like steak and fish fillets, but often lack the same taste, mouthfeel, and even some health benefits of the real deal. Upstream Foods is addressing this issue head-on by creating cultivated fat cells from fish. These cells can be used as an ingredient in alternative fish products, providing healthy omega-3 fatty acids as well as the taste and feel of real fish. We speak with...2023-11-2311 min
BioInnovator SpotlightPriyanka Dutta-Passecker, CEO of HealivaChronic wounds affect over 156 million people worldwide. These are skin wounds that fail to heal or heal slowly but recur. Common causes may include burns, trauma, infection, and cancer, and they can be exacerbated by underlying medical conditions like diabetes. While several technologies are available to treat the myriad types of chronic wounds, the field remains poorly understood. Healiva is working on a personalised approach to chronic wound treatment with a pipeline involving several of these technologies. In this episode, I speak to Priyanka Dutta-Passecker, CEO and founder of the Switzerland-based biotech. We chat about...2023-11-0914 min
BioInnovator SpotlightJulia Eschenbrenner, CEO of PoroUSAge-related illnesses have a dramatic impact on quality of life as global populations continue to grow older. Among these conditions, bone health has a significant impact as deterioration can lead to disability and lengthy rehabilitation in the elderly, particularly those who suffer from osteoporosis. Currently, osteoporosis and similar conditions can only be diagnosed using the DEXA bone mineral density scan, which uses radiation. Now, ultrasound technology may open up a new method that improves upon the gold-standard diagnosis.In this episode of BioInnovator Spotlight, we talk to Julia Eschenbrenner, CEO of PoroUS, which is using...2023-10-2619 min
BioInnovator SpotlightTorbjørn Furuseth, CEO and co-Founder of DoMore DiagnosticsCancer therapies such as chemo and radiotherapy can be extremely aggressive but, for many patients and their clinicians, preserving quality of life is a major factor in choosing their treatment. Today, there are few in-depth diagnostic methods that can distinguish aggressive tumours - which require intense treatment - from mild tumours. DoMore Diagnostics is developing technology that analyses tumour tissue to help determine which patients will benefit from additional therapy. In this episode, we speak to CEO and co-Founder about his journey from consulting firm McKinsey to DoMore Diagnostics.2023-10-1213 min
BioInnovator SpotlightArsenii Zabirnyk, Leader of the Calinhib projectThousands of patients require heart valve surgery each year as a result of calcification. Currently, only surgical heart valve replacements are available as treatments - the two major options each having their own drawbacks - and surgical intervention in an often elderly patient group carries further risk. Additionally, the cost of these surgeries on healthcare systems is extremely high and is expected to increase as the global population ages. But what if there was a non-surgical option, such as a drug that prevented calcification in the first place? Arsenii Zabirnyk leads the Calinhib project which is searching...2023-09-2112 min
BioInnovator SpotlightUirá Souto Melo, leader of the Lucid Genomics projectWhile many diseases are now known to have genetic components, many of the specific mutations involved are unknown in 60-70% of patients. Our DNA contains vast non-coding regions that Uirá Melo likens to dark matter in the universe - we know it's there but what does it do in these diseases?Now, thanks to new technologies in genome sequencing, he is working at the Max Planck Institute in Berlin to sort through this DNA dark matter from an array of patients. In this Episode, Uirá explains his work illuminating the darkness in DNA an...2023-09-0715 min
BioInnovator SpotlightAntonis Katsoulas, project leader of InnunityMultiple sclerosis (MS) has been characterised for many years, not just as a disease, but as a syndrome. It affects different phases of the immune system from the brain to the spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system. Throughout the life of an MS patient, the disease has different phases. The most common is the relapsing-remitting stage, usually followed by the secondary progressive stage of multiple sclerosis. Most of the drugs on the market target the relapsing-remitting stage to decrease the number of relapses, but there is a huge need to target the progressive stages when demyelination...2023-06-2315 min
BioInnovator SpotlightElena Rueda, CEO and co-founder of Dama HealthNearly 900 million women worldwide use reversible contraception, but finding the right method can be difficult. One-third of women stop using contraception due to varying side effects caused by different methods. This challenge requires determining which side effects an individual can tolerate. Contraception is used to treat specific symptoms in many women, such as heavy bleeding and acne. These patients may also have underlying conditions like PCOS or endometriosis that need treatment. Elena Rueda co-founded Dama Health to help patients understand their needs, goals, and risks when using hormonal contraceptives in order to find them a better treatment...2023-06-0119 min
BioInnovator SpotlightJenny Barnett, CEO and co-Founder of Monument TherapeuticsMeasuring brain activity is a challenge in neuroscience. Unlike other medical fields, we can't directly measure the brain. This makes it difficult to develop drugs and determine their effectiveness. Objective measurements are needed to improve treatment decisions for patients.Improving neuroscience measurements could benefit drug development. Pharmaceutical companies prefer precedents, but personalised treatments for similar patient subgroups may be more effective for brain-related conditions.Dr Jenny Barnett co-founded Monument Therapeutics, a spin-out of Cambridge Cognition where she served as Chief Scientific Officer, focusing on developing personalised therapeutics for these underserved patient subgroups. In this episode...2023-05-1913 min
BioInnovator SpotlightBakul Gupta, co-founder and CEO of ImmTune TherapiesCell and gene therapies have effectively treated complex indications such as leukaemia. Despite their proven results, the high production cost and lengthy manufacturing time prevent all patients from benefitting from these remarkable technologies.ImmTune Therapies is building a platform that allows for the in-patient generation of cell and gene therapies, radically increasing the potency and reach of these therapies to all the patients who need them by using novel delivery vectors. Dr Bakul Gupta talks about her story as a founder and how she co-founded ImmTune with Dr George Tetley. 2023-05-0419 min
BioInnovator SpotlightRuiqing Ni, Head of the NeuroPAT projectMany neurological diseases share similar symptoms, making correct diagnosis difficult and impacting the treatment of patients. While Alzheimer's Disease has made advancements in its diagnostic criteria becoming more based on biology, Parkinson's Disease and other neurological conditions lag behind and remain diagnosed mainly based on clinical presentation.Dr Ruiqing Ni is leading the NeuroPAT project, a collaboration between the University Hospital Zurich, ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich, the University Hospital Bern, and the University of Aachen. They aim to develop a biological definition of neurological diseases, detecting molecular changes in the brain, which will help detect...2023-04-2012 min
BioInnovator SpotlightAldo Di Costanzo Mata, Head of the Gluckli ProjectPreterm infants are uniquely at risk due to a lack of glucose deposits in their tissue compared to full-term infants. However, monitoring blood glucose is currently only possible by taking blood samples - a process limited to once per several hours due to their low blood volume.The Gluckli Project hopes to make a substantial difference for at-risk preterm infants. The Gluckli team is developing a non-invasive tool to continuously monitor blood glucose levels of preterm infants using microfluidics technology. The Gluckli project is based out of the University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich...2023-03-3011 min
BioInnovator SpotlightLien Lybaert, interim CEO of PersomedCancer treatment has come a long way in recent decades, but a significant portion of patients remain unresponsive to traditional treatments and novel immunotherapies. Personalised cell therapy may be a new option in treating these patients.Persomed is developing such a platform targeting cancer patients and the company is led by Dr Lien Lybaert. She discusses her journey to the CEO role, Persomed's work on the platform, and her challenges raising funds for their first clinical trial. 2023-03-1715 min
BioInnovator SpotlightJinendra Ekanayake, co-founder of QuetzPoint-of-care imaging is a massive area of unmet need for patients. When neurosurgeon Dr Jinendra Ekanayake first met one of his co-founders, Tim Constandinou, as a PhD student, they found a shared interest in brain-computer interfaces. As years went by, their conversations on the overlap between electronics and biology became ideas about developing surgical innovations to address this unmet need for handheld surgical tools and integrating them with the next generation.Jinendra shares his story of co-founding Quetz at Imperial College London, and the challenges he faces in developing new tools and attracting funding in today's difficult...2023-03-0212 min
BioInnovator SpotlightMichael Hunt, CEO of NK:IOMichael Hunt is CEO of the Imperial College London-based start-up NK:IO. In this episode, he tells us about his journey from accounting into the life sciences and how he became involved in the cell therapy space. We discuss the challenges facing innovative start-ups like NK:IO in this competitive field and why their technology presents a unique solution to fighting solid tumours. Michael also shares his reasons for taking on the CEO role in an early-stage company where risk is prevalent. 2023-02-1612 min
BioInnovator SpotlightAslak H.C. Christiansen, co-founder of Myco4FoodAslak Christiansen is the co-founder of Myco4Food a new company based at the BII in Copenhagen, Denmark. We discuss the future of food, sustainability, and the challenge of plant-based products for meeting nutritional needs - and why fungi may be the answer.Aslak also discusses his motivations for becoming a founder and putting a PhD on hold. As always, we ask him for a book recommendation (or two!) that made an impact on his journey so far. 2023-02-0210 min
BioInnovator SpotlightDr Emiel Michiels, Entrepreneur in Residence at VIBIn today's episode, we speak with Dr Emiel Michiels, Entrepreneur in Residence at VIB in Belgium. He discusses his journey to found a company and the translation of his academic research on protein aggregation to practical therapeutic use. Protein aggregation diseases occur when clumps of protein are deposited in specific organs. Two of the most widely known are Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease, caused by protein aggregation in the brain, but there are several rarer diseases caused by a similar phenomenon. Emiel's future company aims to investigate if its technology can impact these aggregates and create a beneficial...2023-01-1909 min
BioInnovator SpotlightDr Alain Segers, Entrepreneur in Residence at VIBDr Alain Segers discusses his journey into life science which took him into medical devices and setting up his own consultancy. We also talk about why he decided to become a founder now and return to the therapeutics space. Alain joined the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie in Belgium as an entrepreneur in residence and is currently working on starting a company. His focus will be on proteins and he hopes to incorporate new developments in artificial intelligence in the protein biology space.2022-11-2408 min
BioInnovator SpotlightSimon Lajboschitz, Founder of Heka VRIn this episode of BioInnovator Spotlight, we speak with Simon Lajboschitz who is developing a virtual reality solution for mental health applications with his company Heka VR.Heka VR is currently working with clinicians treating schizophrenia, using the power of VR to put a shape and a voice to the hallucinations commonly experienced by patients.Simon's company is a spinout of his other virtual reality company, Khora VR. Simon is the co-founder and CEO of both organisations based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Heka VR is currently based at the BioInnovation Institute, supported by the Novo Nordisk...2022-11-1012 min
BioInnovator SpotlightDr Federico Paoletti, Founder of ExogeneDr Federico Paoletti tells us why he founded Exogene and his hopes for innovating T-cell receptor-based cancer immunotherapies using AI. He also discusses the challenges he faces today, having raised a seed round earlier this year.Federico also recommends a book every founder should read as well as a series that sheds unusual insight into the life of a start-up. Exogene is based in Oxford UK and supported by the Oxford BioEscalator.2022-10-2712 min
BioInnovator SpotlightDr Zahra Jawad, Founder of CreasallisDr Zahra Jawad talks about how her experience in the pharma industry helped shape her thinking on innovation in the sector, and how her career led to founding her creative antibody solutions company Creasallis. Based in Cambridge, UK, Zahra was supported on her journey by Accelerate @Babraham. She also recommends a book every founder should read - listen in to find out!2022-10-1313 min
BioInnovator SpotlightNext-Generation Microbe Optimisation with Joe Price of EvolutorAdaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) has long been used to optimise microbes for industrial processes, such as chemical production. But this process is costly, lengthy, and labour intensive, requiring expensive equipment and laboratory space. Joe Price founded Evolutor as a next-generation approach to microbe optimisation based on ALE, but using a proprietary method that leverages automation and precision fermentation technology. In this episode of BioInnovation Spotlight, Joe discusses the potential value-add for microbial fermentation across multiple industries and the challenges facing researchers developing more sustainable biotech solutions to today's problems.Evolutor is a spin-out...2022-09-1515 min
BioInnovator SpotlightMore sustainable process development of cultivated meat with Dr Will Milligan of ExtracellularCellular agriculture or cultivated meat - often mistakenly called "lab-grown meat" - is now coming into its own with the first products nearing market readiness. Many of these companies now face the daunting task of scaling their innovation. Because most CDMOs for animal cell growth are geared toward the health sector, costs are much higher for bioprocessing than they need to be for the relatively less-stringent food sector when it comes to regulatory needs.Will Milligan founded Extracellular, based in Bristol in the UK, as the first CDMO and innovation partner for cellular agriculture. With a background...2022-07-0711 min
BioInnovator SpotlightInvading solid tumour castles with bacterial Trojan horses, with Dr Pedro Correa de Sampaio of Neobe TherapeuticsOur immune system is like an army, constantly fighting to keep invaders at bay. When faced with solid tumours, that army is at a major disadvantage. Tumours can build walls around themselves making it hard for the immune cells to penetrate and subsequently target the cancerous cells.Neobe Therapeutics, a spinout of Deep Science Ventures and Cancer Research UK, is looking to an old idea of using bacteria to treat solid tumours by coupling this with the precision tools of synthetic biology. Their bacteria aim to slip behind the walls of these solid tumours and, like a...2022-06-2314 min
BioInnovator SpotlightBuilding an international sequence library under the Nagoya Protocol with Basecamp ResearchSince 2014, the Nagoya Protocol has protected the intellectual property of genome sequences by ensuring their countries of origin are entitled to full ownership. Rather than triggering a wave of global genome sequencing and licensing deals, the Protocol seems to have done the opposite - genome exploration for the bio-industry has been stymied for fear of getting bogged down in red tape and legal issues.One company aims to change this. Basecamp Research, co-founded by long-time friends Dr Glen Gowers and Dr Oliver Vince, was established to work with the Nagoya Protocol. They aim to build a massive...2022-06-0914 min
BioInnovator SpotlightTurning Cold Tumours Hot with Engineered Macrophages with Dr Simon Bredl of UHZSolid tumours can be roughly classified into two groups - hot and cold. Hot tumours experience inflammation and are susceptible to drugs like checkpoint inhibitors, and so are more treatable than cold tumours. Cold tumours are just the opposite - they actively dampen the immune system, reducing the effectiveness of cells like macrophages by turning them from the pro-inflammatory M1 type to the anti-inflammatory M2 type. Dr Simon Bredl discovered a unique feature of macrophages in a mouse model of HIV. Their macrophages behaved strangely, switching to the pro-inflammatory M1 type when given an anti-inflammatory signal. While...2022-04-1412 min
BioInnovator SpotlightDeveloping Diagnostic Decision Tools for IVF Clinicians with Dr Ana Lobato Pascual of IVF FitIn-vitro fertilisation is a costly treatment involving a long patient journey where patients must receive regular injections of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The dosage of FSH is critical to treatment success - too much or too little can result in failure. Currently, the method for calculating each patient dose varies between clinics, with no clear standard or objective diagnostic tool. IVF Fit was founded by Dr Ana Lobato Pascual from the University of Oslo, where she and her clinical research group developed a blood test to help accurately inform how much FSH should be administered to a patient...2022-03-3112 min
BioInnovator SpotlightDual-Action T Cell Receptor Therapy for Solid Tumours with Katrien Reynders-Frederix of Pan Cancer TDespite the successes of therapies like Kymriah and Yescarta against blood cancers, solid tumours remain difficult to treat. Finding appropriate molecular targets such as cancer-specific receptors is an ongoing challenge, while the physical environment of a solid tumour also plays a role in suppressing immune responses within it. That said, immunotherapy/cell therapy, like chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T cell receptor (TCR) therapies, has shown amazing promise in treating cancer patients where traditional therapies have failed.Pan Cancer T is a spinout from Erasmus MC Cancer Institute in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. They are developing dual-action TCR...2022-02-2410 min
BioInnovator SpotlightCell Therapy for Regenerating Skeletal Muscle with Dr Deana Mohr of MUVON TherapeuticsWhen we think of cell therapies, we almost immediately think of immunotherapies for cancer or other deadly diseases. But there are myriad indications where cell therapy solutions could make major improvements to a patient's quality of life. Take for example muscle degeneration, where conditions such as urinary incontinence affect millions of people (especially as we age) resulting in a poor quality of life, social stigma, and may even impact our mental health.MUVON Therapeutics is developing an autologous cell therapy for the treatment of diseases related to skeletal muscle damage or degradation. Their goal is to offer...2022-02-0310 min
BioInnovator SpotlightTargeting the Gut with Living Medicines with Edward Green of CHAIN BiotechnologyThe gut is home to trillions of microbes and, through its mucosal layer, the large intestine offers attractive access to the immune system. But getting drugs delivered to the gut presents a major challenge and, as a result, inflammatory diseases of the gut, like Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis, are difficult to treat. . Systemic IV injection is non-specific while oral drugs must brave the acidity of the stomach and a long journey through digestive enzymes and microbes before the colon can be reached.Dr Edward Green of CHAIN Biotechnology talks to BioInnovation Spotlight about their platform for...2021-12-1612 min
BioInnovator SpotlightTurning Waste Carbon into High-Value Products with David Ortega of Phase BiolabsAfter COP26, all nations recognise that Carbon waste must be reduced but we still derive many high-value chemicals and products from petrochemicals - a carbon source locked away underground for millennia and now polluting our atmosphere as waste Carbon. Atmospheric CO2 is a well known driver of global climate change and some 50 billion tons of CO2 are emitted.As we transition to low-carbon economies, a solution that tackles both reducing Carbon waste and replacing industrially important chemicals is required. This is exactly what Dr David Ortega, founder of Phase Biolabs in Bristol, UK, hopes to achieve using...2021-12-0211 min
BioInnovator SpotlightFighting Viruses with Precision Protein Inhibition with Bernd van Buuren of ProtinhiHumankind's greatest infectious threats are posed by viruses. Even before COVID-19 made a global impact on health and economies, Dengue and West Nile Virus have long been endemic threats in warmer parts of the world and Zika emerged as a local threat in South America. As climate change drives insect migration, these viruses may soon pose a threat outside their current ranges. Protinhi have a new approach to developing treatments for these viral diseases, with a program leading on Dengue. Viruses replicate within a host cell after infection using a virally encoded protease. These proteases present a...2021-11-0411 min
BioInnovator SpotlightQuantifying Epigenetic Modifiers with Mass Spectrometry, with Moritz Voelker-Albert of EpiQMAxEpigenetics is the study of the changes that occur on top of the DNA without changing the genome sequence. These still affect the expression of our genes, and thereby shape our phenotype. Like the genome, epigenetic traits can be inherited. But unlike the genes, epigenetic traits are flexible and can be lost or regained and are influenced by our lifestyle. This makes them a tantalizing pharmaceutical target.EpiQMAx is a spin-out from LMU University based on an idea from Prof. Axel Imhof, Dr. Moritz Voelker-Albert and Dr. Victor Solis who have worked in the Histone Modifications group...2021-10-2112 min
BioInnovator SpotlightBioinformatics for Exploring Neoantigens with Cedric Bogaert of MyNEONeoantigens are new proteins that form on cancer cells when certain mutations occur in tumour DNA. These proteins may play an important role in helping the body make an immune response against cancer cells. MyNEO has developed a bioinformatic platform for identifying, exploring and validating alterations leading to neoantigens on cell surfaces which can be used in personalised immunotherapy and target discovery applications, as well as diagnosis and prognosis of patients. In this episode of BioInnovation Spotlight @ LifeScience ORG, we speak to MyNEO founder Cedric Bogaert and discuss his vision to transform personalised immunotherapy for ca...2021-10-0714 min
BioInnovator SpotlightSmarter Protein Crystallization with Serghei Glinca of CrystalsFirstAccess to chemical matter is a major bottleneck in drug discovery. Established industry standards and screening methods often fail to deliver molecular starting points for drug design. Despite accumulating large collections of compounds and screening millions of molecules, the industry struggles to unlock chemical matter.Serghei Glinca founded CrystalsFirst as a spin-out from Prof. Dr Gerhard Klebe's group at the University of Marburg, Germany, leveraging the lab's recently developed Smart Soak technology. In this episode of BioInnovation Spotlight, Serghei talks about how CrystalsFirst aims to revolutionize the drug discovery process by targeting previously undruggable targets...2021-09-2314 min
BioInnovator SpotlightRegenerative Medicine for Muscular Disease with Verena Schoewel of MyoPaxMuscle diseases come in a variety of forms. Among the more common conditions are muscle wasting, which can occur in cancer patients and the elderly. But there are also hundreds of genetically caused muscle diseases as well as local muscle defects that altogether affect more than 15 million in Europe. MyoPax is a muscle stem cell-producing platform for the treatment of muscle defects and genetic muscular dystrophies. It combines its proprietary first-in-class muscle stem cell manufacturing technology with CRISPR/Cas9-based gene repair. The first muscle stem cell product will enter a clinical trial soon (beginning of 2022). The...2021-09-2114 min
BioInnovator SpotlightRegnerative Medicine for Muscular Disease with Verena Schoewel of MyoPaxMuscle diseases come in a variety of forms. Among the more common conditions are muscle wasting, which can occur in cancer patients and the elderly. But there are also hundreds of genetically caused muscle diseases as well as local muscle defects that altogether affect more than 15 million in Europe.
MyoPax are a pre-spinout group at the Max Delbrueck Center and Charité – Universitätsmedizin in Berlin, Germany, whose work is suppored by https://www.spark-bih.de/ (SPARK Berlin). They are developing a stem cell based approach to treat muscular disease by regenerating tissue and have already established a biobank to store trea...2021-09-0914 min
BioInnovator SpotlightReversing Ageing with Daniel Ives of Shift BioscienceThe ageing process afflicts all of us and is the underlying cause of many diseases, creating a significant social and economic impact. Despite humanity's increased longevity in recent decades, the quality of life in our twilight years does not often match up.Dr Daniel Ives is the CEO of Shift Bioscience, based at the Babraham Research Campus in Cambridge, UK. They have identified a list of genes involved in the ageing process and seek to reinstate cellular functional states that support us in earlier life. By targeting stressors and pathways linked to the abrupt bioenergetic...2021-07-2214 min
BioInnovator SpotlightTreating Heart Failure with Maria Vistnes at University of OsloThis week on BioInnovation Spotlight I am joined by Dr Maria Vistnes who is based at the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, and whose work is supported by SPARK Norway. Maria has developed a novel concept for treating heart failure based on enzyme inhibition that has a potential first-in-class use of drugs modulating the extracellular matrix. Heart failure is the end-stage of all types of heart disease and is a result of cardiac remodeling, which indicates structural changes of the heart muscle. There are 23 million patients living with heart failure, characterised by impaired pumping and...2021-07-0812 min
BioInnovator SpotlightHealth Tracking at Home with Nina Patrick of MiProbesAs a rule, prevention is often better than cure. When it comes to personal health, we often rely on our doctor and regular check ups to tell us how our body is doing and what we can do to improve. Now, in the age of modern diagnostics, we can take our health firmly in our own hands.In this episode of BioInnovation Spotlight, we talk to Dr Nina Patrick, the CEO and co-founder of MiProbes, an early stage company based in Berlin. MiProbes is developing diagnostics that allow instant at-home health tracking and optimisation.Nina...2021-06-2410 min
BioInnovator SpotlightDesigning Vaccines with DNA, with Gunnveig Grødeland of Univeristy of OsloTraditional vaccines lack specificity in activating the immune system and can take quite a long time to design and produce. Dr Gunnveig Grødeland at the University of Oslo is developing a DNA Vaccine platform that aims to make vaccines much more specific. DNA can encode the sequence to an antigen fused to a protein that presents it to immune cells specifically, resulting in higher efficacies than traditional vaccines. DNA is an ideal platform for vaccine development, as it can be rapidly and safely synthesized compared to traditional vaccines. Gunnveig's work has already proven effective i...2021-06-1009 min
BioInnovator SpotlightTargeting Solid Tumours with T-Cells, with Felix Lorenz of Captain T-CellSolid tumors make up 90% of the cases in cancer patients worldwide but the standard of care has not changed in decades. Chemotherapies are still widely used and are non-specific, often with a wide range of negative side effects for the patient.To address this, Dr Felix Lorenz and his team started the Captain T-Cell project. Based at the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin and supported by GO-Bio and SPARK Berlin, they are developing a T-cell receptor (TCR) therapy for tackling solid tumors in a targeted and safe manner for cancer patients. TCRs have the ability to t...2021-05-2512 min
BioInnovator SpotlightShining a Light on The Next Big ThingA Podcast Series produced for and with LifeScience ORGMolecular Microbiologist and Podcast Producer, Dr David Kirk, talks to the people behind early-stage translational life science across Europe whose innovative research today may be the blockbusters and game-changing technologies of tomorrow.Join the conversation: www.lifescienceorg.comEpisode length: 12-15 Minutes2021-05-0600 min