Poster prize awarded to Bárbara Cunha, PhD student at the iBET’s Animal Cell Technology Unit
July 13, 2016
The work entitled “Scale-up of Filtration Methodologies for the Concentration of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Comparison between Hollow Fiber and Flat Sheet Cassette Devices” (authors: Bárbara Cunha, Tiago Aguiar, Sofia Carvalho, Marta M Silva, Manuel J.T. Carrondo, Patrícia Gomes-Alves, Margarida Serra, Cristina Peixoto, Paula M Alves) focuses on scaling up the concentration process (up to 2 L) of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) derived from different tissues (bone marrow and adipose tissue) using tangential flow filtration (TFF) technology.
In the presented work, the authors compare the use of different devices with different geometries and characteristics (flat sheet cassettes and hollow fiber devices), while evaluating the impact of scaling-up this step on cells’ recovery yield and characteristics in terms of identity, viability and differentiation potential. Alongside the standard quality assays for hMSC, a proteomics workflow based on state of the art mass spectrometry tools was also established to better characterize the final product. Overall, this work shows that TFF is scalable and efficient for concentrating hMSC. In particular, flat sheet cassette devices showed to outperform hollow fiber devices, allowing to achieve relevant cell concentrations compatible with cellular therapies while maintaining cells’ characteristics. Furthermore, the development of analytical methodologies that address cell characteristics globally, increases product and process understanding allowing to better optimize and correctly design processes for cellular therapies.
This work was funded by iNOVA4Health Research Unit and by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia through the project MITP-TB/ECE/0013/2013 and fellowships BD/51940/2012 (MIT-Portugal program), BPD/86513/2012, BD/52481/2014 and BD/52302/2013.
Recovery of Biologicals XVII took place from 19 to 24 of June at Southampton, Bermuda. The mission of the Recovery Conference Series is to produce international meetings of high scientific standard within the field of downstream processing of biological products, to provide a unique forum for industry, academia and regulatory agencies and act as a focal point for the discussion, evolution and dissemination of best practice in recovery processes.
In the presented work, the authors compare the use of different devices with different geometries and characteristics (flat sheet cassettes and hollow fiber devices), while evaluating the impact of scaling-up this step on cells’ recovery yield and characteristics in terms of identity, viability and differentiation potential. Alongside the standard quality assays for hMSC, a proteomics workflow based on state of the art mass spectrometry tools was also established to better characterize the final product. Overall, this work shows that TFF is scalable and efficient for concentrating hMSC. In particular, flat sheet cassette devices showed to outperform hollow fiber devices, allowing to achieve relevant cell concentrations compatible with cellular therapies while maintaining cells’ characteristics. Furthermore, the development of analytical methodologies that address cell characteristics globally, increases product and process understanding allowing to better optimize and correctly design processes for cellular therapies.
This work was funded by iNOVA4Health Research Unit and by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia through the project MITP-TB/ECE/0013/2013 and fellowships BD/51940/2012 (MIT-Portugal program), BPD/86513/2012, BD/52481/2014 and BD/52302/2013.
Recovery of Biologicals XVII took place from 19 to 24 of June at Southampton, Bermuda. The mission of the Recovery Conference Series is to produce international meetings of high scientific standard within the field of downstream processing of biological products, to provide a unique forum for industry, academia and regulatory agencies and act as a focal point for the discussion, evolution and dissemination of best practice in recovery processes.