Development of standardized culture, transplantation and banking of RPE cells for treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
Description: The project aims to develop a standardized, safe and efficient method for curing dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - the most frequent cause of visual impairment that currently lacks treatment. The work will bring promising retina pigment epithelial (RPE) cell research to a clinical trial using patient-derived stem cell therapy. The Specific aims are focused at: 1) isolation, cultivation and optimization of human RPE cells, primary hRPEs and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived RPEs; 2) preparation of nanofibrous scaffold; 3) transplantation of hRPE-covered scaffolds in the subretinal space; 4) non-invasive (OCT, mfERG) and end-stage cell and tissue characterization (IHC, tEM); 5) establishment of good manufacturing practice (GMP) protocols and clinical-grade cell banking.
Amount: CZK 28,550,000
Funding type: research
Funder scheme: TO - KAPPA
Start date: 2021-01-01
End date: 2024-04-30
Investigators: Jan Motlík, Jan Motlík, Jan Motlík, Jan Motlík, Jan Motlík, Jan Motlík, Miroslav Veith, Professor Goran Petrovski habil, Hana Studenovská, Taras Ardan, Jana Juhásová, Jiří Klíma, Zdeňka Ellederová, Pavel Studený MHA, Zbyněk Straňák, Pavel Studený MHA, Zbyněk Straňák, Zbyněk Straňák, Zbyněk Straňák, Lars Eide, Olga Šebestová Janoušková, David Rais, Muhammed Arshad Thottappali, Jiří Trousil
Institution: Ústav živočišné fyziologie a genetiky AV ČR, v. v. i.
Funded outputs count: 10
Funder award ID: TO01000107
OpenAlex ID: G1124085992