Our VANGUARD proposal to develop a new bioartificial pancreas to cure type 1 diabetes has been selected for funding by the European Commission. Under the call SC1-BHC-07-2019 Regenerative medicine: from new insights to new applications, VANGUARD has been selected as one of twelve projects to be funded.
The VANGUARD project aims to deliver an Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Product (ATMP) of high translational potential, with properties of increased functionality and implantability and protection from immune destruction. We will construct a bioartificial pancreas by assembling insulin-producing organoids, composed of islet cells, human amniotic epithelial cells (hAEC) and blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOECs), into an amniotic membrane-derived hydrogel.
The consortium consists of 6 academic institutions with leading scientists in their field, 2 SMEs and 1 NGO with expertise in ethical and social aspects of transplantation. We look forward to the project start on 1st January 2020 and to start collaborating together to provide a model for the development of a bioartificial pancreas.
