MAINSTREAM
EPSRC research and partnership hub for health technologies in Manufacturing Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine, Immunotherapy and Cancer.
MAINSTREAM is the EPSRC-funded Research and Partnership Hub advancing the industrial manufacture of mesenchymal stromal (or stem) cells (MSCs) for transformative health technologies. These cells hold immense promise for a range of cell therapies – but large-scale production remains a major challenge.
Our mission is to overcome critical barriers in MSC manufacturing by harnessing UK expertise in materials science, mechanobiology, characterisation and additive manufacturing. By combining academic excellence with input from clinicians, patients, industry and charities, MAINSTREAM aims to create the tools and processes needed to scale up production of clinically relevant, high-quality MSCs.
Why It Matters
Despite the UK’s global leadership in stem cell research, regulation, and innovation, MSC therapies face significant manufacturing hurdles. MSCs rapidly lose their clinical “naïve” state by ageing and differentiating during growth, reducing their effectiveness. This bottleneck limits the translation of promising research into real-world therapies.
Currently, a single MSC treatment may require 70–190 million cells. However, most manufacturers struggle to produce the billions needed to make therapies sustainable, affordable and scalable for NHS use. The result: while over 50 new MSC clinical trials launch each year, fewer than five reach Phase III.
Our Vision
Over the next six years, MAINSTREAM will:
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Prevent MSC ageing by designing materials that target specific mechanobiological pathways.
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Enable mass production of naïve, multipotent MSCs using cutting-edge manufacturing technologies.
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Create real-time cell monitoring tools based on mechanical phenotyping.
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Build strong stakeholder collaboration by involving clinicians, industry partners, patients and the public in co-creating solutions.
This work supports major national investments in regenerative medicine, including UKRI project and programme grants, the CARMA Hub, European funding, and collaborations with industry, NHS, IBioIC, the Cell and Gene Therapy and High Value Manufacturing Catapults.
Powered by Innovation
MAINSTREAM will also unlock the potential of additive manufacturing, taking advantage of University of Nottingham’s EPSRC funded Additive Biofabrication Facility at the Centre for Additive Manufacturing – offering an untapped opportunity to deliver next-generation therapies through design freedom and scalability.
Together, we’re laying the foundation for the future of regenerative medicine – delivering solutions that meet urgent clinical needs and ensuring that cutting-edge stem cell science translates into real-world impact.
Our Team
Mainstream is a collaboration between three world-class academic institutions and the UK National Health Service.
