Newswise The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine will launch a new center that will focus on understanding tissue regeneration and pioneering future developments in stem cell biology as a means to repair diseased organs and tissues.

The center will partner with colleges and departments across the University of Illinois System.

Researchers in the new center will investigate the molecular signals that drive stem cellsto matureinto different cell types, such as blood, heart and blood vessel cells. The center will also study the epigenetic regulation of stem cells; determine the best approaches to transplant engineered cells, tissues and organs; and look for ways to efficiently produce the regenerative cells neededfor novel treatments.

The center will use a team-oriented multi-disciplinary approach that incorporates experts in biochemistry, biophysics, bioengineering and the clinical sciences to investigate stem cell biology and tissue regeneration, says Asrar Malik, the Schweppe Family Distinguished Professor and head of pharmacology, who is guiding the effort. Asearch is underway to recruit a director and additional faculty members, he said.

The current program in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine already includes seven faculty members, most within the department of pharmacology, who together have more than $10 million in research grants from the National Institutes of Health. Malik saidthat the intent in the next few years will be to carry out additional recruitments with other departments, to build from this interdisciplinary foundation and capitalize on our strengths.

Three new faculty members have joined the center in the last two years. Owen Tamplin studies stem cells in zebrafish; Konstandin Pajcini investigates the role of stem cells in the development of leukemia; and Jae-Won Shin engineers stem cells and tissues with an eye towards transplantation.

This will be the only dedicated stem cell and regenerative medicine center in Chicago with a focus on basic biology and translational science, and will affirm UICs leadership role in these fields, and help attract additional talent to our team, said Malik.

The opening of the center will be commemorated with a June 12 symposium on stem cell and regenerative medicine from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Faculty Alumni Lounge, UIC College of Medicine West building, 1853 W. Polk Street.

Speakers include:

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UIC Launches Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine - Newswise (press release)

In news that may bring hope to asthma sufferers, scientists discover a mechanism that provides a possible new target for allergy treatments.

By observing the allergic response in mice with asthma, scientists at the Francis Crick Institute found that white blood cells that normally reduce the symptoms of asthma convert into cells that make allergies worse. The research was funded by the Medical Research Council and the Francis Crick Institute.

"If we can work out what makes the cells change, and how to stop them changing, we might be able to find new ways of tackling allergic responses that make conditions such as asthma worse," says Mark Wilson, Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute, who led the research.

The findings, published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine, also reveal that this cell-changing mechanism could boost immunity to worms in the intestine, which affect nearly half of the world's population, providing a new approach for vaccines.

"The conversion of immune-suppressing cells to immune-boosting cells is beneficial for providing immunity against intestinal worms, but can make allergies worse," explains Victoria Pelly, first author of the paper, and researcher at the Francis Crick Institute. "If we can find a way to target this mechanism, it will be extremely useful in the clinic."

After infecting mice with intestinal worms, the team took their white blood cells and injected them into non-infected mice, as a sort of 'vaccine', before infecting these mice with intestinal worms. Using a combination of genetic and imaging tools, the team monitored the white blood cells and found that a large proportion of immune-suppressing cells turned into immune-boosting cells to help fight the infection.

To investigate whether the same cell conversion happened in conditions beside worm infection, the team observed what happened to immune-suppressing cells in the lungs of mice with asthma. They found that up to 60% of these cells converted to immune-boosting cells, worsening the symptoms of asthma.

"Even though we notice the same cell conversion in worm infection and asthma, we think that the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are different," says Mark.

This article has been republished frommaterialsprovided by The Francis Crick Institute. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

Reference:

Pelly, V. S., Coomes, S. M., Kannan, Y., Gialitakis, M., Entwistle, L. J., Perez-Lloret, J., . . . Wilson, M. S. (2017). Interleukin 4 promotes the development of ex-Foxp3 Th2 cells during immunity to intestinal helminths. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 214(6), 1809-1826. doi:10.1084/jem.20161104

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Cells Change Type to Help or Hinder Immunity - Technology Networks

JERUSALEM, June 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Gamida Cell, a leader in cellular and immune therapies for the treatment of cancer and orphan genetic diseases, announced today the appointment of Nobel Prize Laureate Professor Roger Kornberg and immune oncology expert and recently retired Novartis executive Dr. Michael Perry to its Board of Directors.

"We are pleased to welcome Professor Kornberg and Dr. Perry to our Board, especially now as Gamida Cell completes the final stages of clinical development of its flagship product NiCord and plans for potential commercialization. We look forward to their important guidance during this crucial time in the Company's development and in preserving Gamida's leading position in bone marrow transplantation," said Gamida Cell Chairman of the Board, Julian Adams, Ph.D.

Professor Roger Kornberg has been a Professor of Structural Biology atStanford Medical Schoolsince 1978. He won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2006 for his studies of the molecular basis of transcription, the process whereby information in DNA is read out for the direction of all activities of all organisms, including humans. Professor Kornberg began his career as apostdoctoral researchfellow at theLaboratory of Molecular Biologyin Cambridge, England and went on to be an Assistant Professor of Biological Chemistry at Harvard Medical School in 1976, before moving to his present position. Professor Kornberg is also the recipient of the 2006Dickson PrizefromUniversity of Pittsburgh and the 2006Louisa Gross Horwitz PrizefromColumbia University. In 2009, he was elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society. Professor Kornberg earned hisbachelor's degreeinchemistryfromHarvard Universityin 1967 and hisPh.D.inchemical physicsfrom Stanford in 1972 supervised byHarden M. McConnell.

"Gamida Cell's novel platform technology and scientific approach to expand functional cells in culture have broad potential to change the way cell based therapies are used clinically. NiCord, has demonstrated clinically that it could fill the unmet need in bone marrow transplantation," said Professor Kornberg.

Dr. Michael Perry recently retired from Novartis, following a highly successful tenure where he served as SVP and Chief Scientific Officer, Global BD&L, Chief Scientific Officer, Cell & Gene Therapy Unit, Global Head, Cellular Therapy/VP, Integrated Hospital Care Franchise and as Novartis' observer on the Gamida Cell Board of Directors. Novartis is a major shareholder in Gamida Cell. He is currently a Director and Operating Partner at venture capital firm Bioscience Managers Pty Ltd. Dr. Perry currently serves on the Boards of Avita Medical Ltd (AVH:ASX), Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR:NASDAQ) and AmpliPhi Biosciences (APBH:NYSE). He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology and serves as Chair of the Translational Medicine Advisory Board of the Houston Methodist Research Institute. Dr. Perry holds a Hon. B.Sc., in Physics from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. He also earned a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine & Surgery from the Ontario Veterinary College and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science/Pharmacology from the University of Guelph.

Dr. Perry said, "Gamida Cell is a very attractive commercial opportunity with its cutting edge science, a lead product with FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation, compelling clinical data in bone marrow transplantation, an experienced and strong team, and a robust and cost effective manufacturing process. I am very much looking forward to supporting Gamida Cell to help translate these achievements into a business success."

About NiCord

NiCord is a stand-alone graft derived from a single umbilical cord blood unit which has been expanded in culture and enriched with stem and progenitor cells using Gamida Cell's proprietary NAM technology. NiCord leverages the advantage of umbilical cord blood which does not need full tissue matching to the patient, and can therefore be available to practically all patients in need. It also aims to address the major barrier of umbilical cord blood transplantation - delayed hematopoietic recovery - by demonstrating an advantage with a primary endpoint that is clinically meaningful.

Results from the Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies of NiCord were recently published in an article published by the Journal of Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (BBMT, the official publication of theAmerican Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation) entitled "Transplantation of Ex Vivo Expanded Umbilical Cord Blood (NiCord) Decreases Early Infection and Hospitalization".

Gamida Cell is currently enrolling patients in an international, multi-center, Phase 3 registration study of NiCord as a graft for bone marrow transplantation for patients with blood cancer who do not have a rapidly available fully matched donor. The Company announced in February 2017 that the first patient in the study had been transplanted. NiCord has an FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation as well as FDA and EMA orphan drug designations, the most recent granted in March 2017. For more information on enrolling transplantation centers and study inclusion and exclusion criteria please click here.

About Gamida Cell

Gamida Cell is a world leader in cellular and immune therapies for the treatment of cancer and orphan genetic diseases. The company's pipeline of products are in development to treat a wide range of conditions including cancer, genetic hematological diseases such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia, bone marrow failure syndromes such as aplastic anemia, genetic metabolic diseases and refractory autoimmune diseases. Gamida Cell's current shareholders include Novartis, Elbit Imaging, Clal Biotechnology Industries, Israel Healthcare Venture, Denali Ventures and Auriga Ventures. For more information please visit http://www.gamida-cell.com.

Press Contact: Marjie Hadad MH Communications +972-54-536-5220 marjierhadad@gmail.com

Investor Contact: Beth DelGiacco Stern Investor Relations, Inc. +1-212-362-1200 beth@sternir.com

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gamida-cell-appoints-nobel-prize-laureate-professor-roger-kornberg-and-immune-oncology-expert-dr-michael-perry-to-its-board-of-directors-300468459.html

SOURCE Gamida Cell

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Gamida Cell Appoints Nobel Prize Laureate Professor Roger Kornberg and Immune Oncology Expert Dr. Michael Perry ... - PR Newswire (press release)