CENTER FOR CELL THERAPY AND TISSUE REPAIR

The main goal of the Center is to focus selected branches of basic research in developmental biology, biocompatible polymer synthesis, neuroscience and transplant surgery into one organic whole, which can serve as an experimental foundation for cell therapy and tissue repair research on a level qualitatively comparable to research in the developed countries of the EU and the USA. Research and the practical clinical utilization of the acquired knowledge in cell therapy are focused on the following areas:

Cell sources and experimental models of cell therapy

Stem cells – embryonic, fetal, and organ-specific (bone marrow cells, olfactory glial cells, pancreatic cells, epidermal cells, and neural crest cells) – are used for research studies.

Research and use of biomaterials

Biocompatible hydrogels are being developed for stem cell implantation into neural tissue and the epidermis and for the delivery of differentiation signals.

Clinical studies and clinically oriented experimental models

Clinical studies and clinically oriented experimental models focus on the following target tissues: the brain, spinal cord, endocrine pancreas, liver parenchyma, and the epidermis and its derivatives.

 The practical output of the Center will be, initially, the implantation of autologous stem cells from a patient, cells from donors or embryonic cells and the use of new medical polymers that will optimally interact with selected differentiated cells in vitro. These new treatment methods are based on both Czech and international research, and our techniques are coordinated with similar techniques in developed countries worldwide. The practical result will be the development of procedures to establish suitable cell lines and procedures for their characterization and testing of their safe use in patients. The anticipated result of the Center will be the initiation of subsequent clinical studies, which will advance our knowledge about the advantages and difficulties of the proposed cell therapy procedures and accelerate their further modification and their launch into clinical practice. Besides research into new treatment preparations and procedures and their prompt and professional pre-clinical testing, there is another goal of the Center: the recognition and acceptance of our scientists by the international scientific community. The Center not only has scientific goals, but also wants to be a coordinating center for the research and development of new therapeutic procedures employing cell therapy and tissue repair, a center for systematic postgraduate education and a place of intensive international collaboration.