On the 3rd and 4th of July, the cosmopolitan city of Milan, Italy, played host to the bi-annual project meeting of VANGUARD. The meeting was organised by Lorenzo Piemonti and his team from San Raffaele Hospital.
The agenda was dense and engaging, with VANGUARD project partners taking turns to brief each other on their respective research progress. These update sessions not only reflected the strides taken but also shed light on the future, setting the trajectory for the upcoming months.
The gathering has been a vital step in the VANGUARD consortium’s relentless pursuit to produce a bioartificial pancreas that could be transplanted into patients without requiring immuno-suppression. Crucially, the main objective underpinning these discussions was the pursuit of a game-changing medical advancement: the development of a vascularised, immune-protected bioartificial pancreas.
In conclusion, this meeting was more than just a progress update; it was a demonstration of cross-border European collaboration and unyielding resolve. Consortium meetings such as the one held in Milan are significant milestones on the path to this remarkable goal.
