Reference number : GC-2017-Q1-00525, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Stöver, Harald (McMaster University), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Ontario, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for Universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : Type 1 diabetics require daily insulin injections for life. Transplanting insulin-secreting beta-type cells is a_x000D_
promising therapeutic strategy that requires an excellent supply of oxygen and nutrients to the transplanted_x000D_
cells, as well as effective immune protection of the transplanted cells, and prevention of cells escaping from_x000D_
capsules._x000D_
Sernova Corp has developed proprietary implantable Cell PouchTM device technologies that become_x000D_
vascularized and can then be loaded with islets, beta cells or other therapeutic cells. Immunoprotection in the_x000D_
Cell PouchTM can be provided by encapsulating these cells in 300 micrometer calcium alginate beads, but this_x000D_
approach is now known to lead to some cells protruding through the capsule surfaces, compromising the whole_x000D_
transplant. Outer calcium alginate shells have been added to coat protruding cells, but this doubles the final_x000D_
bead diameter, unacceptably increasing dead volume and decreasing insulin secretion capacity. New strategies_x000D_
for detecting cell protrusion, and for forming outer shells with lower dead volume, are hence needed._x000D_
Dr. Stöver has expertise in design and evaluation of alginate-based capsules for cell therapies. In this project,_x000D_
his group will develop new 3D quantitative fluorescence assays for protruding cells, and explore the scope for_x000D_
double encapsulations with lower dead volume. This information will inform future capsule compositions and_x000D_
morphologies, in order to optimize cell protection and containment as well as cell function., program purpose french : Type 1 diabetics require daily insulin injections for life. Transplanting insulin-secreting beta-type cells is a_x000D_
promising therapeutic strategy that requires an excellent supply of oxygen and nutrients to the transplanted_x000D_
cells, as well as effective immune protection of the transplanted cells, and prevention of cells escaping from_x000D_
capsules._x000D_
Sernova Corp has developed proprietary implantable Cell PouchTM device technologies that become_x000D_
vascularized and can then be loaded with islets, beta cells or other therapeutic cells. Immunoprotection in the_x000D_
Cell PouchTM can be provided by encapsulating these cells in 300 micrometer calcium alginate beads, but this_x000D_
approach is now known to lead to some cells protruding through the capsule surfaces, compromising the whole_x000D_
transplant. Outer calcium alginate shells have been added to coat protruding cells, but this doubles the final_x000D_
bead diameter, unacceptably increasing dead volume and decreasing insulin secretion capacity. New strategies_x000D_
for detecting cell protrusion, and for forming outer shells with lower dead volume, are hence needed._x000D_
Dr. Stöver has expertise in design and evaluation of alginate-based capsules for cell therapies. In this project,_x000D_
his group will develop new 3D quantitative fluorescence assays for protruding cells, and explore the scope for_x000D_
double encapsulations with lower dead volume. This information will inform future capsule compositions and_x000D_
morphologies, in order to optimize cell protection and containment as well as cell function., agreement title english : Improving Cell Encapsulation by Detection and Mitigation of Protruding Cells, agreement title french : Improving Cell Encapsulation by Detection and Mitigation of Protruding Cells, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2017-06-14, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year. (2017-2018 to 2018-2019), additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier. (2017-2018 à 2018-2019), owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada