A new collaboration with Tokyo Women´s Medical University

[NEWS 19 November, 2010] Karolinska Institutet and the Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science, Tokyo Women´s Medical University ("TWMU") have agreed to collaborate on education and biomedical research.

"We´re currently facing a very exciting era defined by the integration of engineering and medical sciences, aiming to improve human health" says Professor Agneta Richter-Dahlfors, director of the Swedish Medical Nanoscience Center at Karolinska Institutet.

The collaboration involves the development of innovative clinical applications through the integration of the cell sheet engineering technology developed under the leadership of Professor Teruo Okano, director of the Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science, and Karolinska Institutet´s strong stem cell research expertise and clinical platform.

"I´m delighted that we´ve set up this exchange with Karolinska Institutet, a world leading medical university with strong stem cell expertise," says Professor Teruo Okano. "We´re convinced that our collaboration will drive the further development of new standardised cell sheet engineering therapies for regenerative medicine for patients around the world."

"We´re also happy to design an exchange programme of students and academic staff, which will help to treat a large number of patients waiting for innovative treatments," Professor Okano continues.

About Cell Sheet Engineering Technology

Professor Teruo Okano has developed a unique process for cultivating a single layer of cells. His method is based on innovative nano-biotechnology and polymer science, and makes it possible to detach a sheet of cells from the culture surface. These cell sheets retain their adhesive proteins and can thus be attached to patients organs or layered to create tissues. Professor Okano has already developed various clinical applications of cell sheet engineering technology; one such is regenerative therapy of the cornea using the patient´s own oral mucosa cell sheet, which is currently undergoing clinical trials.

Tokyo Women´s Medical University

The university was founded in 1900 as a medical faculty university with hospital. The Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science was established in 1969 as a research centre for multidisciplinary biomedical engineering and science.

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