There is no consensus among scientists regarding a method for the isolation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from any tissue.

PurStem is a collaborative effort of leading academic laboratories and small businesses with the goal of advancing the industrialization of stem cell technology.  Funded under the Framework Programme 7 (FP7) of the European Union, it is coordinated by REMEDI.  All of the partners in the project have specific specialities and expertise in research and in technologies. Purstem aims to establish standard methods and tools for the production of large amounts of adult mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) for clinical purposes. 

PurStem Objectives

• Examine existing methods and approaches to the preparation of MSCs
• Identify current best practice
• Standardize the technology between laboratories by means of a unified operating protocol
• Develop new methods of culture and new media formulations by identifying the repertoire of growth factor receptors that exists on the surface of the cell
• Create new media using a combinatorial approach to the selection of growth factor supplements to modulate and optimize the growth kinetics and differentiation of the cells
• Utilize recombinant human growth factors and so benefit from freedom of reliance on serum
• Identify new reagents from this effort that will be used to characterize the cells

Societal Impact of PurStem

• Improvements in treatment options in cardiovascular applications, inflammatory conditions such as Crohn’s disease, and orthopaedic disorders such as arthritis
• Key to this clinical improvement is the generation of a clearly characterized MSC produced in industrial quantities, the core issue which PurStem is addressing
• Culminating in improved quality of life of patients and a significant reduction in the economic burden associated with chronic disorders

Scientific Impact of PurStem

• Development of new GMP-compliant reagents and media formulations for MSC isolation, expansion, differentiation and banking
• Identification of the MSC receptome of both the in vivo and the in vitro expanded MSC
• Development of novel antibodies against MSC surface antigens to use for specific identification and ultimately the isolation of the MSC
• Development of a “rational” animal product-free media
• Creation of a novel technology for “germ-free” expression of biologically active antibodies for use in GMP manufacturing of cells

Collaborative Partners

• National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
Project co-ordinator focusing on unification of MSC culturing techniques, development and validation of best practices SOPs, identification of novel cell surface markers
 

• University of Genova, Italy
Leading the effort to evaluate the differentiation potential of selected cell populations into bone, cartilage and fat using in vitro methods and into bone in vivo
 

• University of Leeds, United Kingdom
Defining the in vivo bone marrow MSC phenotype as well as optimizing MSC harvesting, culture and characterization
 

• Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
Innovating a serum free MSC culture media for both expansion and cell differentiation
 

• Ovagen International Ltd, Ireland
Creation of germ-free reagents from chickens including the generation of novel antibodies to characterize MSCs
 

• Orbsen Therapeutics (formerly Pro-Cure Laboratories) Ltd, Ireland
Generating and screening novel antibody libraries for the creation of tools to characterize MSCs
 

• Pintail Ltd, Ireland
Responsible for quality assurance, planning for exploitation, communication and dissemination of results
 

 "Whereas the benefits of this project for society as a whole are significant, for stem cell research and development, they are immense."      

Prof. Frank Barry

For more information, visit www.purstem.eu online or Email purstem@purstem.eu

PurStem is funded by the European Commission under the Framework 7 Program