Cambridge has a unique history in breakthrough scientific discoveries that underpin much of the stem cell research and technologies in development today. The main strengths of the Cambridge stem cell and regenerative medicine community are: - World-class fundamental and translational research at the University of Cambridge and surrounding research institutes
- A supportive clinical environment at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Critical mass – over 30 academic research groups with independent projects in the stem cell sector
- Depth and breadth of research ranging from the basic sciences of developmental genetics, cellular biology, genomic imprinting, and cell signalling to the clinical application of stem cells for neuronal repair and pancreatic islet transplantation
- Close proximity to the UK Stem Cell Bank in North London
- A cluster of international, national and regional stem cell and regenerative medicine companies
- Expertise in the legal, regulatory, policy and ethical aspects of stem cell research
- A reputation as one of the hot hi-tech cities in the world, and the exemplar biotech cluster in Europe
- An outstanding lifestyle that has attracted top stem cell researchers from all over the world
- State of the art laboratories and science parks
Fundamental stem cell research Most of the twenty research groups investigating a wide range of areas in stem cell biology are located at departments in or associated with the University of Cambridge such as the Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research (led by Professors Austin Smith and Fiona Watt), the Wellcome Trust/CRUK Gurdon Institute (Professors Sir John Gurdon, Azim Surani), the Babraham Institute (Dr Wolf Reik) and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute led by Professor Allan Bradley. Translational research Under the directorship of Professor Roger Pedersen,the focus of The Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine (LRM) is the clinical applications of stem cell research. Current programmes at the LRM include research into pancreatic islet transplantation, providing the conduit for basic and translational studies on pancreatic islet cells derived from human embryonic stem cells and other stem cell sources. The National Blood Service Centre is a free-standing facility on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus with a dedicated GMP facility that is currently used in preparing blood/bone marrow stem cells for transplantation. One of the principle aims of the Cambridge Brain Repair Centre is the translation of basic scientific discoveries into clinical practice. For example, an MRC supported trial is currently exploring the safety and feasibility of transplanting neural tissue in Huntington's Disease. Supportive clinical environment The Cambridge Biomedical Campus is the most rapidly-growing medical campus in the UK. The campus currently houses the School of Clinical Medicine as well as: Current clinical activities including transplantation biology, immunology, haematology, brain repair and specific diseases (particularly, diseases of the blood, diabetes and Parkinson's) provide an avenue for the earliest possible clinical application of breakthroughs in stem cell biology and medicine. Other nearby resources The Wellcome Trust Genome houses the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the European Bioinformatics Institute. These provide a rich collaborative resource and an interactive intellectual climate for genomic studies in general, which will enable rapid progress in all aspects of genomic biology related to stem cells. Cambridge University Stem Cell Initiative This is a virtual network of the interdisciplinary research groups with interests ranging from developmental biology to tissue engineering. Together they represent nearly £30 million of current research funding and publish over 90 papers per year on original findings in peer-reviewed journals. Expertise in IP, regulatory affairs, policy and ethics Several of the top legal and IP firms in Cambridge have specific expertise in the stem cell field, providing strategic guidance and practical advice to both the regional and international research communities. Other related expertise in the region includes manufacturing policy at the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing. Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Companies - Stem Cell Sciences – production of “cells in wells” for drug discovery
- Medcell – bioreactors (the “TheraMachine”)
- Intercytex – skin and hair regeneration
- CellCentric – leaders in epigenetic understanding
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