Leiden, July 7, 2024 – Project SECRET, an innovative doctoral network under the Horizon Europe programme - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action, has been awarded significant EU funding of €2.5 million. This funding will drive groundbreaking research focused on the therapeutic potential of perinatal cell secretomes for treating neurological and cardiovascular disorders.
MIMETAS, a global leader in organ-on-a-chip technology, is proud to be an integral part of this pioneering consortium, bringing its cutting-edge expertise to advance the field of regenerative medicine. As part of Project SECRET, MIMETAS will play a key role in developing advanced experimental preclinical models that are critical for studying the regenerative capabilities of perinatal secretomes.
The project will recruit 10 promising doctoral candidates in the coming months, offering them a collaborative and innovative research environment, along with access to state-of-the-art facilities provided by MIMETAS and other consortium partners. These candidates will receive mentorship from leading experts across academia, research institutes, and industry, gaining a unique interdisciplinary experience that will propel the field of regenerative medicine forward.
About Project SECRET
SECRET focuses on unlocking the therapeutic potential of secretomes derived from human stem cells obtained from amniotic membrane and amniotic fluid. These secretomes, sourced from clinical waste samples with informed donor consent, hold significant promise for treating inflammatory diseases in both cardiac and neurological contexts.
As part of this doctoral network, MIMETAS will develop an optimized human 3D organoid-on-plate microfluidic platform for disease modelling and screening. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies and interdisciplinary approaches, SECRET seeks to unveil novel insights into the mechanisms underlying tissue regeneration and repair, offering hope for millions affected worldwide.
Key Objectives
- Characterization of Perinatal Secretomes: In-depth analysis of perinatal secretomes’ composition to identify regenerative factors.
- Neurological Disorders: Exploring the role of secretomes in neural tissue repair, focusing on conditions like ischemic stroke and multiple sclerosis.
- Cardiovascular Disease: Investigating the ability of perinatal secretomes to repair cardiac tissue, with the goal of developing treatments for heart disease and myocardial dysfunction.
Consortium Leadership and Collaboration
Guided by the Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore (UCSC) of Rome, with Professor Ornella Parolini as Project Coordinator, the consortium brings together world-class partners. Alongside MIMETAS, the consortium includes leading academic institutions such as Università di Genova, Universitaetsklinikum Essen, and Universiteit Antwerpen, as well as research institutes like Centro di Ricerca E. Menni and Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino-Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale. MIMETAS, together with these partners, will contribute its unique expertise to advance regenerative medicine.
The project promises to deliver breakthroughs that could redefine treatments for both neurological and cardiovascular disorders.
