Zoe Mote
BME PhD Proposal Presentation

Date: 2022-12-12
Time: 2:00pm
Location / Meeting Link: Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Seminar Room, EBB / https://gatech.zoom.us/j/95472578732

Committee Members:
Johnna Temenoff; Krish Roy; Melissa Kemp; Ed Botchwey; Bob Guldberg


Title: Biomaterial-based Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Manufacturing and Transport Methods to Expand Access to Therapeutic Cell Products

Abstract:
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are highly secretory cells that have been identified as a promising cell therapy due to their immunomodulatory and pro-regenerative functions. A typical dose of an MSC therapy requires many millions of cells per patient, which necessitates large scale expansion processes that can produce billions or trillions of high-quality therapeutic cells. Cell manufacturing at this scale presents several hurdles, including the cell expansion processes and transportation of the resulting cell therapies. Therefore, the objective of this project is to investigate novel biomaterial strategies for the manufacturing and transport of MSCs in a manner that improves both the efficacy and accessibility of these therapies. In the first aim, we will investigate microcarrier strategies for the expansion of MSCs in a vertical-wheel bioreactor. The goals of this aim are to (1) reduce the development of replicative senescence using hydrogel microcarriers, and (2) to use heparin functionalized microcarriers to expand MSCs in low-serum conditions. In the second aim, we will investigate a biomaterial-based ambient temperature transport method as alternative to cryopreservation. Cryopreservation induces changes in phenotype and potency that are undesirable for delivering a cell therapy. The goals of this aim are to (1) develop a support material to maintain MSC viability and maintain MSC functional outcomes and (2) to ship MSCs coast-to-coast at ambient temperature and maintain viability and functional outcomes. Overall, these aims address challenges in the field of cell manufacturing and could improve the efficacy and accessibility of MSC therapies.