Leuven.Inc Visionary seminar: 'Towards new healthcare: stem cell industrialization'

Organised by Leuven.Inc in cooperation with imec. 
Supported by the Province of Flemish Brabant under the program for development as knowledge region.

Stem cells are delivering on their promise. Their use in a clinical context is fast approaching. With the discovery of new stem cell sources and the ability to reprogram mature cells, stem cells can be used as essential ingredients of implants and injections. Moreover, combining stem cell know-how with new enabling technologies opens also a route to new platforms for drug discovery and development.

The power of stem cells to heal and regenerate will revolutionize healthcare. But the practical implementation will take time. We need new technologies to work with stem cells. This is essential to enable the industrialization of processes and products based on stem cells to meet regulatory requirements and to ensure economical viability.

Developing these technologies - necessary to bring stem cells from the lab into real life - calls for large-scale collaborations between public and private partners. Establishing multidisciplinary collaborations, driven by a combination of material technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology, is an ongoing process for high-tech regional development.

This visionary seminar will bring you insights in how stem cell know-how, enabling technologies, and collaborative networks can drive the industrial adoption of therapies based on stem cells.

Practical aspects

Date:	Wednesday 19 March 2014
Location:	imec auditorium - Parking at the overflow parking (Gaston Geenslaan, 3001 Heverlee) [download a routedescription to the location]

Programme

16h30:	Welcome coffee
17h00:	Welcome by Leuven.Inc
17h10:	Stem cell research: status and road ahead Frank Luyten, Prof., Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center KU Leuven Chairman of the programme
17h40:	Stem cell based R&D screening tools Andreas Ebneth, Senior Principal Scientist Janssen Research & Development
18h10:	Scale up technologies to industrialize stem cells Peter Peumans, Department and Program Director imec
18h40:	Coffee break
19h00:	Growing a regenerative medicine industry Kurt Gielen, Acquisition and Business Development Manager, Chemelot Campus B.V.
19h30:	Regenerative Medicine Innovation Platform Jan Schrooten, Senior Research Manager Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering KU Leuven
20h00:	Q&A
20h15:	Drinks and snacks

The interventions will be held in English.

Participation fee

135 euro (excl. VAT): members of Leuven.Inc - 175 euro (excl. VAT): all others Special fee available for Master and PhD students affiliated to and billable by KU Leuven or other universities.  Please do contact us by e-mail.
	Participation in our activities at -50% discount via KMO-portefeuille Pijler OPLEIDING: Leuven.Inc Approval number DV.O106761 More info: www.kmo-portefeuille.be KMO portefeuille request: for this seminar you indicate 4 training hours.

Registration

Registrations before Wednesday 12 March 2014 preferably via the online registration form (use the 'Register' button) or by email to admin@leuveninc.com (including all contact and invoice details).

After registration you will receive a confirmation and route description. The registration fee is payable after receipt of invoice. Cancellation after subscription is not possible. However, replacement by a colleague is allowed.*

* As an (Associate) Company Member you can be replaced by a colleague. As an individual Member you can only be replaced by another Individual Member. When this is not possible, Leuven.Inc will charge an extra fee for the replacement by a non-member.

 

This Visionary Seminar is supported by the Province of Flemish Brabant under the program for development as knowledge region

 

-----------------------------------------------------

ABSTRACTS

Stem cell research: status and road ahead - Frank Luyten, Prof., Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center & Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, KU  Leuven

The clinical impact of stem cell based therapeutic approaches for applications in Medicine in general are still limited.  More information is needed on many aspects of these “Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products” including the choice of cell type, manufacturing technology and upscaling, and importantly the mechanisms of action.  Indeed, the mechanisms by which (stem) cells contribute to a biological response are diverse and include trophic effects, anti-inflammatory  and  immune modulatory effects and direct tissue repair through engraftment. Based on these new scientific insights, a second wave of new and more rational approaches for stem cell therapies is emerging , and applications in the field of Regenerative Medicine appear most promising.

Growing a regenerative medicine industry - Kurt Gielen, Acquisition and Business Development Manager, Chemelot Campus B.V.

If we want to sustain the world's best healthcare system we need innovative solutions that can turn around the ever growing increase in cost. Regenerative Medicine and the industrial use of stem cells is such a disruptive solution. This alternative already exists. It's being worked on by thousands of scientists all over the world: 2,500 Regenerative Medicine based clinical trials are going on right now.
However GREAT SCIENCE DOES NOT EQUAL GREAT BUSINESS. In order to turn great science into great business an entire set of challenges has to be dealt with. Challenges that scientists aren't used to deal with. Challenges that are so big and diverse, scientists can never address these alone. For an industry that addresses one of today’s biggest socio-economic problems, we need all stakeholders working together to come to the final success of offering commercially available treatments.
Chemelot Campus is a Triple Helix structure that is inviting everybody to help us build Regeneration Street: 50,000m2 of leading research, manufacturing & innovation in Regenerative Medicine. Combined with our own Venture Capital Fund and an Open Innovation Campus we bring together all stake holders behind one common goal: To disrupt and turn around the ever increasing cost of health care. To invent, build and supply innovative solutions that will allow us to sustain our health care by tapping into the healing powers of our own bodies via stem cells.

Regenerative Medicine Innovation Platform - Jan Schrooten, Senior Research Manager Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering KU Leuven

The Flemish Brabant region holds a leading role in research, translation, industrialisation, dissemination and clinical implementation of regenerative and personalised medicine, supported by a critical mass of complementary and experienced (pioneering) actors along the complete value chain. To capitalise on this unique position and further drive the development of this emerging industry a strategic approach is needed to create added value for the regional actors. At the same time new activities at a trans-regional and international level need to be developed to accommodate for the growing complexity of regenerative medicine by merging complementary knowledge and technologies.
To address this need a strategic group of regional partners will set up a regenerative medicine innovation platform that should develop into a translational network from lab to patient. This network will create via smart specialisation a unique environment within the regenerative medicine landscape that introduces economical and social sustainability and that enables international collaborations to drive this industry forward.