X-PAND

📢 Advancing Cell & Gene Therapy in Europe! Cell and gene therapies are transforming medicine, offering new hope for treating and curing diseases. However, challenges in development, manufacturing, and commercialization remain. That’s why the EIC Cell and Gene Therapy Portfolio was established, to drive innovation, strengthen European leadership, and support groundbreaking projects. 🚀 As part of this initiative, X-PAND collaborates with PAT4CGT Project and T-FITNESS, working together to tackle technical, regulatory, and commercial barriers. Our collective efforts are detailed in the EIC pathfinder portfolio report which outlines achievements and future directions in this rapidly evolving field. Read the full report here👇

That's a wrap of the third X-PAND consortium meeting! Over the last two days our experts from Italy, Spain, Germany, and Switzerland gathered to strengthen collaboration, align strategies, and review exciting new results. As we reach the project’s midpoint, our focus is on maximizing impact, building #synergies and shaping a strong #exploitation strategy. With cutting-edge stem cell manipulation and deep multiomics, we’re pushing the boundaries of safer, more effective gene therapy and gene editing. A huge thank you to our exceptional researchers, your dedication drives this project forward with energy and ambition! We’re more motivated than ever to turn innovation into real-world impact. Onward to breakthroughs in #stemcell research, #genetherapy & #geneediting! 🚀🔬

🌍 Celebrating Women and Girls in Science!🔬 Today, on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate the brilliant minds that are shaping the future of research. We are especially proud of the brilliant women in X-PAND, Raffaella Di Micco, Paula Rio, Susana Navarro, ANA ROSA LOPEZ and all the other incredible women involved, who are working hard every day to push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation. Your dedication and expertise are shaping the future! 🚀

🌍On this #WorldCancerDay, the X-PAND project reaffirms its commitment to advancing innovative cancer treatments through cutting-edge gene therapy and hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) engineering. Our work focuses on preventing leukemia in patients with inherited cancer-prone syndromes, such as #FanconiAnemia and #DiamondBlackfanAnemia, and developing novel HSC-based therapies to fight cancer more effectively. 🎯Our multidisciplinary team combines expertise in gene therapy, clinical research, and HSC engineering to create safer, more effective therapies that can transform cancer care. Link to X-PAND website here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dpkQTAE4

🚀 The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) published the #EUEic Tech Report! This comprehensive report highlights 34 emerging technologies with the potential to shape Europe's innovation landscape. Based on EIC internal data and expert analysis, it identifies early-stage ideas that could drive future advancements, many of which could impact the healthcare sector. 🌍As an EIC Pathfinder project, X-PAND is proud to be part of this ecosystem, where groundbreaking research fuels tomorrow’s transformative solutions. Check out the full report here 👇

📖 Explore the latest discoveries of Toni Cathomen’s Lab! Toni as part of the X-PAND consortium, in collaboration with Janine Reichenbach’s group, recently published in Communication Biology a study tackling the challenges of CRISPR-based genome editing in pseudogene-associated disorders, such as p47phox-deficient chronic granulomatous disease (p47 CGD). 🔬 Key discoveries include: Interactions between highly homologous sequences localized on the same chromosome significantly contribute to post-editing chromosomal rearrangements. In a human cell line model and patient-derived hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, CRISPR editing of the NCF1 gene and its pseudogenes (NCF1B and NCF1C) led to copy number alterations across megabase-spanning regions. The study linked these genomic aberrations to the predisposition of repetitive sequences to recombination events, highlighting the critical risk of instability in such regions. 🚀 Why it matters: This research emphasizes the importance of understanding the genomic context of CRISPR targets, particularly the presence of homologous regions, to mitigate risks of chromosomal rearrangements. These insights are vital for advancing the safety and precision of gene editing technologies for clinical applications. To learn more, read the full paper here. 👉 https://lnkd.in/gVx9PNWr

🚀 A major breakthrough in the treatment of Fanconi anaemia! We are thrilled to share the important results of the Spanish clinical trial FANCOLEN-1, published in The Lancet. 👉https://lnkd.in/dP9XP_hR For the first time, autologous #genetherapy without genotoxic conditioning has been shown to enable sustained engraftment and reverse bone marrow failure progression in patients with #Fanconi anaemia. This remarkable achievement is the culmination of 20+ years of dedication and collaboration by pioneering scientists, including Paula Rio, Susana Navarro, and Juan A. Bueren (CIEMAT), proud members of the X-PAND project. 💡 A huge step forward in gene therapy and hope for patients worldwide!

📖 Explore the latest discoveries of Raffaella Di Micco’s Lab! The team led by Raffaella Di Micco, a scientist within the X-PAND project, recently published in Cell Reports Medicine a study in which they discovered how proliferative stress impacts the success of gene editing in blood stem cells, proposing an innovative strategy to overcome this challenge. 🔬 Key discoveries include: - p38 MAPK signaling is a central driver of stress in blood stem cells during ex vivo culture, increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and accelerating the cell cycle. This leads to DNA damage and reduced stem cell fitness. - Temporary inhibition of p38 MAPK before gene editing protects the cells, preserving their genome integrity, enhancing their multi-lineage differentiation capacity, and ensuring long-term functionality after transplantation. 🚀 Why it matters: This research addresses a critical challenge in #genetherapy: balancing the need for ex-vivo culture to enable precise gene editing while minimizing its harmful effects on stem cell quality. The proposed strategy could revolutionize clinical gene therapy by enabling safer and more efficient correction of genetic disorders. 👉 To learn more, read the full paper here https://lnkd.in/gCZkTfqZ

The EIC Work Programme 2025, with a €1.4 billion budget (a €200M increase from 2024) reinforces the EU's commitment to deep-tech research and innovative start-ups🚀. At X-PAND, we are excited to contribute to this effort through advancements in #stemcellexpansion and #genetherapy. 📌Key highlights include: - EIC STEP Scale-up scheme: €300M to support strategic technologies like biotech, digital, and clean tech, with investments of €10–30M per company. - EIC #Pathfinder: €262M for early-stage visionary research. - EIC #Transition: €98M to turn research results into innovation opportunities. - EIC #Accelerator: €634M to scale start-ups with disruptive potential. - Expanded access to Business Acceleration Services and Seal of Excellence awards further broadens opportunities for innovators. 🔍Explore how the 2025 EIC Work Programme is driving Europe’s innovation landscape and uncover exciting opportunities for research and technology. 👉https://lnkd.in/dMrusSb8 European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)

Exciting News from #ESGCT 2024! 📣We’re thrilled to announce that two X-PAND project partners, Paula Rio (CIEMAT) and #BernhardGentner (CHUV | Lausanne university hospital), have been appointed to the Board of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. These prestigious appointments, announced during the recent ESGCT Annual General Meeting, underscore their remarkable dedication and expertise in advancing the field of gene and cell therapy. They join Toni Cathomen (Universitätsklinikum Freiburg), a current ESGCT Board member, creating a powerful team poised to bring fresh perspectives and leadership to the Society’s mission of promoting cutting-edge gene and cell therapy research across Europe. 🎉X-PAND celebrates this new leadership and their commitment to pushing the boundaries of scientific innovation! Read more about their work in X-PAND on our website 👉https://lnkd.in/dpkQTAE4