Shaping the Future of Stem Cell Manufacturing
We were delighted to host the kick-off meeting for MAINSTREAM, the new EPSRC Research and Partnership Hub for health technologies in manufacturing stem cells, led by Professor Matthew Dalby at the University of Glasgow.
Backed by £11 million EPSRC funding and an additional £1.5 million in partner support, MAINSTREAM brings together world-leading academic, clinical, and industry partners to tackle one of the biggest challenges in regenerative medicine: scaling up the manufacture of mesenchymal stromal (stem) cells (MSCs).
MSCs hold remarkable potential — from repairing broken bones and regenerating tissues to reducing transplant rejection and supporting recovery in blood cancer patients. However, their clinical use is still limited due to the difficulty of growing sufficient high-quality cells outside the body. MAINSTREAM will address this by developing innovative biomaterials and scalable technologies that enable MSCs to be manufactured affordably and sustainably.
The project unites an impressive range of partners including industry, charity, NHS GGC and Scottish Government. Together, the consortium will deliver a translational pipeline of technologies that pave the way for next-generation cell therapies.
The kick-off meeting highlighted the priorities in scientific innovation, clinical translation, patient and public involvement, culture and impact.
Contact: [email protected]
Mainstream is a collaboration between three world-class academic institutions and the UK National Health Service.
