StemScreen researchers present progress in disease modelling and drug screening
The second annual meeting of the StemScreen Center for Stem Cell-based Disease Modelling and Drug Screening took place on January 9th at Panum, University of Copenhagen. Representatives from across the StemScreen network, including researchers from Bioneer A/S, Synklino A/S, and the University of Copenhagen, got together for a lively meeting with lots of discussion.
Researchers representing seven of the proof-of-concept projects in the StemScreen network presented their rationale, progress, and plans. Screening models are being developed for diseases including glaucoma, Parkinson’s, and frontotemporal dementia. Scientists in the network are also working on optimisation of several key elements for drug screens, including gene assay development, tissue engineering, and matrix for culturing cells.
“It has been exciting to hear about the progress that the StemScreen projects have made within the last year and to catch up with the network. I’m already looking forward to the next StemScreen meeting,” said Kim Bak Jensen, Professor, Project-lead for StemScreen, and Executive Node Director at Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, at the University of Copenhagen.
Additionally, the group heard an inspiring keynote talk, ‘Drug development – from basic research to business,’ from Mette Rosenkilde, who is a member of the Steering Committee for StemScreen, as well as Professor and Vice Director at the Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMI) at the University of Copenhagen and a serial biotech entrepreneur.
It is almost exactly one year since the Yokogawa Cell Voyager 8000 imaging system, the core of the StemScreen high-content screening facility, was delivered to Copenhagen, and eight months since the facility has been fully open for running StemScreen experiments. There has been substantial progress in that short time, and the StemScreen projects are developing in very promising directions.
StemScreen is funded by Innovation Fund Denmark. Any researcher can apply to join the StemScreen network and use the StemScreen facility if they have a promising proof-of-concept screening project with potential to generate value. Read more about StemScreen, high-content image-based screening, and how to submit a project proposal: www.stemscreen.ku.dk.