Lab-grown HSCs expand the future of cell therapy – and biobanking

Lab-grown blood stem cells, recently created for the first time, may revolutionise cancer treatment by reducing the need for donors. What does this positive news mean for processing facilities like Biovault?

from HSCs to iHscs

In groundbreaking research published last week in Nature, scientists at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, revealed the method they have developed to create hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). These lab-grown HSCs, called iHSCs, were successfully transplanted into immune-deficient mice, showing results similar to umbilical cord blood transplants. The research represents a huge step towards using lab-made HSCs in medical treatment and may lead to the creation of iHSCs for future medical use and disease research.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are multipotent cells that play a crucial role in the regeneration of all blood and immune cell types, a process known as hematopoiesis, which occurs in adult bone marrow. HSCs are used to treat a wide range of conditions, including inherited blood disorders such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia, blood cancers like leukaemia and lymphoma, immune disorders like SCID, and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. They also help replenish cells lost during chemotherapy and hold potential for gene therapy treatments. iHSCs resemble early HSCs in human embryos, show long-term, multi-lineage blood cell production, and could be cryopreserved, mirroring clinical HSC transplantation practices. While secondary engraftment was low, the researchers believe ongoing improvements in the differentiation process will enhance results.

The role of biobanks in stem cell therapy

Lab-grown HSCs require labs, and it’s clear that when iHSCs are proven medically viable in humans, facilities that are reliable, well-equipped and regulated will be essential.

Biobanks have been crucial to medical innovation since at least the 1950s when they facilitated the development of the HeLa cell line, an in vitro system now used globally. Loft and Paulsen coined the term “biobank” in 1996 while studying oxidative DNA damage as an independent risk factor for cancer, using it to refer to human biological materials in their published findings.

Today, some biobanks have a far less passive role than their name suggests. Facilities like Biovault, which collaborates with researchers and medics, have processed human stem cells for many years.

How Biovault is prepared to grow stem cells

Biovault has always been more than a biorepository.

1. Experience in processing stem cells?We have a long history of processing umbilical cord blood (UCB) HSCs and peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs).
2. Stem cell expansion Biovault has many years of experience?in stem cell expansion for research purposes.
3. JACIE-accreditation?JACIE represents the highest industry standards and is Europe's only official accreditation body for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and cellular therapy.?Biovault is the only stand-alone private facility accredited in the UK.
4. Security Biovault adopts the best available safety measures in every area of our facility. We have eliminated all single points of failure, making our highly regulated and active facility one our partners can trust.
5. Continuity of care Our highly committed and experienced team provide a reliable point of contact for the clinicians and researchers who depend on our services.

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sources

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-024-02360-7

https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-Role-do-Biobanks-Play-in-Cancer-Research

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2446107-lab-grown-stem-cells-could-be-a-breakthrough-for-cancer-treatment/