Lund Stem Cell Center

🏆🎉 Congratulations to Luís Oliveira, a PhD student in Filipe Pereira’s research group at Lund Stem Cell Center, for winning the 2024 Research Grand Prix in Stockholm! The Researchers' Grand Prix challenges researchers to present their work in just four minutes—engaging and inspiring both the audience and jury. Luís captivated 550 attendees and the expert jury with his imaginative presentation, portraying cancer research as a battle between good and evil. Using humor, metaphors, and even Darth Vader as a villainous cancer cell, he illustrated how dendritic cells can help trigger the #ImmuneSystem to fight #cancer. This win marks the fifth consecutive victory for Lund University and the second in a row for a Lund Stem Cell Center researcher at Vetenskap & Allmänhet's competition celebrating science communication. 🎤 Luís: "For me, it is extremely important to communicate about what I and other researchers are doing. Not only because it is so important to spread knowledge, but also because it is actually fun." Read more about Luís' journey: https://lnkd.in/dbNX6zyf #ATMP #ScienceCommunication #CancerResearch #Immunology #StemCellResearch

🌟 It’s Day 2 of the ATMP Sweden 2024 Conference in Malmö, and Lund Stem Cell Center is back, ready to share more insights and connect with you! Here’s what’s happening today: 💡 Associate Professor Darcy Wagner will speak on "The Academic Perspective on #ATMPs" in the "Challenges and Benefits of Establishing #Diversity" session at 13:25 today. 💡 Professor Filipe Pereira will discuss "In Vivo Dendritic Cell Reprogramming for Cancer #Immunotherapy" at 15:20 today. 💡 Associate Professor Johan Flygare will present on "Towards Clinical Gene Therapy for Diamond-Blackfan Anemia" at 15:30 today. Visit our booth at the Clarion Hotel & Congress Malmö Live to learn more about how we’re driving #ATMP research and innovation forward in #Sweden. #StemCellResearch #GeneTherapy #CancerImmunotherapy #DEI

🎉 The National ATMP Research School is also here at the ATMP Sweden Conference in Malmö! Stop by to meet Director Johan Flygare, and discover how they are driving innovation in #ATMP research and training across #Sweden. 🎓 Are you a doctoral supervisor in Sweden? Applications are now open for co-funded doctoral projects for the 2025/2026 academic year! This is a fantastic opportunity to lead groundbreaking research at any stage of the ATMP development process and mentor the next generation of scientists. 🗓️ Don’t miss the chance—apply by January 20, 2025, at 23:59. 🔗 Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/e7FqT6ng Node Directors: Gunilla Enblad, Paul Kingham, Matti Sallberg, Jan Holgersson, Camilla Björklund Lund University | Medicinska fakulteten, Lunds universitet | Uppsala University | Umeå University | University of Gothenburg | Karolinska Institutet #ATMP #advancedtherapies #research #PhD #STEM #careerdevelopment #phdprogram #graduateschool

🌟 Lund Stem Cell Center is at the ATMP Sweden Conference in Malmö today and tomorrow! Visit our booth at the Clarion Hotel & Congress Malmö Live to learn more about our research in advanced therapy medicinal products (#ATMPs). Our researchers will also be presenting their work, beginning with: 💡 Prof. Anna Falk who helped kick off the conference with a presentation emphasizing the vital link between #healthcare, #academia, and #industry & #innovation to bring ATMPs to patients, and will also chair the session on "Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived ATMPs" starting at 2:20 PM. 💡 Keynote speaker, Prof. Malin Parmar will present on "FIH hESC-derived dopaminergic neuron progenitors for Parkinson’s disease" at 1:40 PM today. We look forward to connecting with you! Drop by our booth to discuss the latest in ATMP research, pick up your copy of our 2024 ATMP Pipeline Report, and say hello 👋 #ATMP #CancerResearch #GeneTherapy #StemCellResearch #Parkinsons #Innovation #LundStemCellCenter #ATMPSweden

Two innovative projects led by researcher's at Lund Stem Cell Center have been recognized on the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences’ (IVA) prestigious 100 List, highlighting research with the potential to transform #healthcare. 💇♀️ Hair Analysis to Find Cancer at an Early Stage Emma U. Hammarlund, Associate Professor in Medicine at Lund University, is developing a new method to detect #cancer early through chemical imprints in hair. Collaborating with colleagues at Lund University, Skånes universitetssjukhus (Skåne University Hospital), Chalmers University of Technology, and The Johns Hopkins University her research uses geological measurement techniques to identify the unique metabolic fingerprints of cancer cells. "A cancer that is detected early reduces mortality and suffering—and saves society a lot of money," Emma Hammarlund explains. Supported by Cancerfonden and the Sjöberg Foundation, her team is refining prototypes with the goal of creating a reliable, non-invasive hair test to complement existing diagnostic methods for cancers such as #Prostate and #BreastCancer. 🦴 Bioengineering Miniature Bones for Cancer Research Another project on the IVA list is led by Paul Bourgine, Associate Professor in Medicine at Lund University, and his team at the Lund Stem Cell Center, who are developing OssiGel, a platform for creating personalized miniature human bones. This technology offers a new platform for precise drug testing and personalized therapies, advancing research on cancers that originate in or spread to the bone. Congratulations to both teams! 👏 📖 Read more about these projects: https://lnkd.in/dX_TXEQk #CancerResearch #StemCellResearch #Innovation #EarlyDetection #PersonalizedMedicine

Pediatric cancer treatments save lives, but they often lead to long-term complications for survivors. Dr. Kees-Jan Pronk, a pediatrician and researcher at Lund University, is focused on understanding these effects, especially in children treated for #leukemia and those undergoing stem cell transplants. “Cancer treatment of children can lead to complications later in life. It is important to think 30-40 years ahead,” says Kees-Jan Pronk, who splits his time between treating pediatric oncology patients at Skånes universitetssjukhus (Skåne University Hospital) and conducting research at Lund University. His work focuses on improving chemotherapy treatments and addressing complications like kidney damage and immune system recovery—aiming to increase survival rates while minimizing long-term health impacts for young #cancer survivors. At yesterday's Stem Cell Talk, Kees-Jan gave an insightful overview of his latest research at Lund Stem Cell Center, sharing important findings on how stem cells play a role in pediatric cancer treatment. His talk, “Are Stem Cells Still Relevant in Pediatric Disease?” attracted a strong turnout from students and researchers across the Medicinska fakulteten, Lunds universitet. Read more about his clinical research here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dmW89vPE #PediatricCancer #CancerResearch #StemCellTransplant #Paediatrics #MedicalResearch #Oncology #Hematology #StemCellTalk

What does it take to transform decades of research into real-world clinical solutions? For Associate Professor Johan Flygare, it meant stepping outside of academia. Together with CEO and entrepreneur Nicholas Vita, Johan co-founded Apriligen, Inc., a company dedicated to developing gene therapies for Diamond-Blackfan Anemia (DBA) – a rare, genetic blood disorder. The journey began 20 years ago at Lund Stem Cell Center, where Johan began studying the genetic mechanisms behind DBA. Now, this work is being translated into a clinical gene therapy platform, which uses an HIV-derived vector to introduce healthy genes into patient stem cells. #DBA impacts red blood cell production and is typically diagnosed in newborns. While current treatments like regular transfusions are needed for survival, they can lead to serious complications. Apriligen’s therapy offers hope for a more scalable, curative approach. With clinical trials now on the horizon, Johan and Nicholas are showing what’s possible when #academia meets #innovation. "From when I first started out as a doctoral student, I knew that I wanted to contribute to better treatments for patients. It is necessary if you want to do that, to involve yourself in companies, even if it is a big job to take on beside your research," says Johan Flygare, Associate Professor at Lund University and Deputy Director of the Lund Stem Cell Center. 📖 Read more about their journey from science to startup: 👉 https://lnkd.in/dakDq4vs #StemCellResearch #GeneTherapy #ATMP #AdvancedTherapies #RareDiseases

Lär känna #ForskarGrandPrix-finalisterna! Sista tävlande att presenteras innan årets riksfinal är Luís Oliveira som är doktorand i immunologi vid Lund Stem Cell Center, Medicinska fakulteten, Lunds universitet. Han kvalade in via Lunds deltävling. “För mig är det jätteviktigt att kommunicera om vad jag och andra forskare gör. Inte bara för att det är så viktigt att sprida kunskap, utan också för att det faktiskt är roligt. I framtiden vill jag gå bortom labbet och prata om vetenskap i olika forum. Att lära sig mer om hur man kan göra det på ett bra sätt är angeläget.” Varför började du forska? “Jag arbetar med cellulär omprogrammering, där jag försöker komma på ett sätt att ändra en cells genetiska kod för att omvandla dess identitet. Jag tror att en del av mig ville bli mjukvaruingenjör, så det här blev det bästa av två världar på ett sätt. Att kunna säga att jag är en "cellulär omprogrammerare" får mig dessutom att känna mig coolare än vad jag faktiskt är. Jag hackar inte bankkonton för att stjäla pengar, jag hackar celler för att få dem att bli immunceller. Jag använder mina krafter för att skapa något bra, brukar jag tänka i alla fall!” Se Luís och de andra finalisterna på tisdag den 26 november. Har du inte redan en plats på Filadelfia Convention Center går tävlingen att följa online och startar klockan 14-15.30! Läs mer och anmäl dig på https://lnkd.in/d3VWYVMU Forskar Grand Prix är Sveriges största tävling i #presentationsteknik för forskare. Finalen anordnas sedan 2012 av Vetenskap & Allmänhet i samarbete med Formas, ett forskningsråd för hållbar utveckling, Forte, Vetenskapsrådet / Swedish Research Council och Vinnova.

🎙️Tune into the latest episode of the Lund University MultiPark podcast featuring Professor Malin Parmar, for an inspiring discussion about the future of Parkinson's disease treatment. Speaking with doctoral student, Lluís Camprubí Ferrer, Malin Parmar shares insights into her team’s pioneering research on stem cell-based therapies for Parkinson’s disease. Their innovative approach aims to replace the dopamine-producing neurons lost to the disease with healthy ones derived from stem cells—offering hope for new treatment options. After decades of research, one of these therapies is being evaluated in Lund, with promising safety results already reported earlier this year. 🔗 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/dgmcDPFd More on the latest STEM PD Clinical Trial update (May 2024): https://lnkd.in/dbUmZ3rW MultiPark- Multidisciplinary neuroscience research at Lund University #StemCellResearch #StemCellTherapies #AdvancedTherapies #ATMP #ParkinsonsDisease #Parkinsons

🌟 Congratulations to Associate Professor Jenny Pyl Hansson, who has been awarded 11 million SEK by the Svenska Sällskapet För Medicinsk Forskning (SSMF). The five-year Consolidator Grant will support her team’s research into acute leukemia, focusing on the biological differences between childhood and adult forms of the disease. “Our goal is to pinpoint the specific vulnerabilities in childhood and adult leukemia,” explains Jenny Hansson, associate professor at Lund University and head of the Proteomic Hematology Research Group at Lund Stem Cell Center. “By understanding these differences, we can identify new targets for therapies that are more effective and tailored to each patient.” In earlier studies, Jenny Hansson and her team used animal models to study the pre-leukemic stages of #MLL-rearranged leukemia, an aggressive form of the disease that affects both children and adults. This work identified specific proteins that distinguish childhood leukemia from adult leukemia. With the support of this new grant, the team will expand their research to explore how leukemic cells use proteins to communicate with their environment and how the disease interacts with the immune system. “We believe that by focusing on the molecular details of #leukemia, we can accelerate the development of treatments that are not only more precise but also less harmful,” says Jenny Hansson. 🔗 Read more about this project: https://lnkd.in/da8naiVM #LeukemiaResearch #SSMF #CancerResearch #PrecisionMedicine #StemCellResearch