VANGUARD Project Leaps Forward: Successful Bi-Annual Meeting in Milan

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.

Annual VANGUARD meeting held in Igls, Austria

Team members of the VANGUARD project travelled to Igls in Austria for the annual consortium meeting which was held on 22 January 2023. The full day meeting covered the research progress of all work packages in the first three years of the project, the next steps planned and enough time for lively discussions between representatives from all nine partners to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of the project.

VANGUARD publication on Advances and challenges of endocrine pancreas bioengineering available online

A new VANGUARD article has recently been published in Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research. “Advances and challenges of endocrine pancreas bioengineering” – Islet transplantation is a valid treatment option for type 1 diabetes patients. Despite the advantages of this intervention, many obstacles limit its efficacy such as the loss of islets during the process and the need for lifelong immunosuppression. This mini-review discusses the advances and recent technologies aiming to improve the outcomes of islet transplantation. The full article can be read here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coemr.2022.100320

Abstract

β-cell replacement via islet transplantation (IT) is a viable option for the management of patients with type 1 diabetes. Despite good functional results, IT remains limited by the lack of donors, poor revascularization, loss of islets due to inflammation and hypoxia, and the need for lifelong immunosuppression. In this review, we present the recent advances in the field of tissue engineering proposed to overcome these obstacles. The most promising technologies include the use of stem cell-derived β-cells, accessory cells, scaffolds, encapsulation methods, prevascularization techniques as well as alternative transplantation sites. With the ultimate goal of the generation of neovascularized, immune-protected implantable constructs loaded with insulin-secreting cells, these technologies present a promising future for the field.

VANGUARD Ethics Workshop

Bio-artificial organs and bio-engineered or bio-printed tissues for transplantation in humans are rapidly being developed. It is anticipated that some applications will be ready for clinical testing in the near future. How can first-in-human clinical trials be conducted in a safe and responsible manner? What are ethical points to consider for early clinical trials of regenerative medicine in transplantation?

To discuss these and related topics, our partner Erasmus MC organised a VANGUARD workshop titled Ethics of early clinical trials in regenerative medicine in transplantation in February 2022. This workshop brought together 74 participants and experts in the fields of regenerative medicine and ethics to discuss these ethical challenges. The video below shows the full recording of the VANGUARD Ethics workshop held online, Thursday 3 February 2022 from 16:00-18:00.