Stem and Immune Cells Bioengineering Lab

Bridging engineering and stem cell biology to accelerate the development of advanced cell therapies.

Research Focus

iBET’s Stem and Immune Cells Bioengineering team focuses on bioprocess engineering of immune cells, stem cells and their derivatives (e.g. extracellular vesicles, EVs) for clinical applications.

In collaboration with academic and industrial partners, we focus on the development of biology-inspired protocols, combining 3D cell culture approaches and bioreactor technology. We also explore the advantages of integrating “omics” tools and process analytical technology (PAT) to advance the production of cell-based therapy products and to support the characterization of their quality attributes. Our expertise was recently expanded to generate scalable robust bioprocesses for the manufacturing of CAR-T cells in bioreactors.

Areas of Activity

Cells as Therapeutic Products

Development and intensification of processes in bioreactors for scalable production of (stem and immune) cell therapy products with improved potency.

Extracellular Vesicles

Development of bioprocesses and bioanalytics for the manufacturing of extracellular vesicles derived from stem cells.

hiPSC-derivatives for engineered tissues/organs

Improving hiPSC expansion and differentiation/maturation into functional cell types for the development of bioengineered tissues/organs for heart and liver regenerative medicine.

Margarida Serra

Lab Head, Stem and Immune Cells Bioengineering Lab | Advisor to the Executive Committee

My current research at iBET, with funding from EU programs, FCT, and private funding from the Pharmaceutical Industry, is driven by the vision of bridging engineering and cell/development biology to accelerate the manufacturing of next generation cell therapies.

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