Andrew Hoffman,
Professor, Director -- Regenerative Medicine Laboratory,
Tufts University
Dr. Andy Hoffman is a large animal internist with long-standing interest in regenerative medicine and translational potential of veterinary disease models to improve human and animal health. His lab focuses on the functional relevance of exosomal miR derived from biofluids (e.g. blood, CSF, saliva) to disease pathogenesis. Are exosomes in biofluids directly involved in the initiation or propagation of disease or bystanders which also have strong biomarker potential? His unique approach is to study these phenomena in companion animal disease models which strikingly resemble human conditions. Models that he works with include congestive heart failure secondary to mitral valve prolapse, arrythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, atopic dermatitis, Crohn’s fistulitis, spinal disc herniation, and cardiac arrest, updated on Dr. Hoffman’s webpage: http://sites.tufts.edu/vetclinicaltrials/regenerative-medicine-stem-cell-trials/.
Immune Modulation by Mesenchymal Stem Cells through Extracellular Vesicles
Thursday, 29 March 2018 at 16:30
Add to Calendar ▼2018-03-29 16:30:002018-03-29 17:30:00Europe/LondonImmune Modulation by Mesenchymal Stem Cells through Extracellular VesiclesSELECTBIOenquiries@selectbiosciences.com
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are currently being evaluated in human clinical trials for their potential to mitigate injuries due to inflammatory, ischemic or hyperoxic, pro-fibrotic, septic, degenerative, and neoplastic insults. The MSC are employed as either native, pre-conditioned, or genetically manipulated cells, or they are exogenously supplemented biologic or pharmacologic agents (e.g. chemotherapeutics). The mechanisms employed by MSC in vivo have come into question, with the realization that MSC are short-lived in vivo, and factors such as extracellular vesicles (EV) exert interactions with resident immune effector. Better understanding of immune mechanisms of native EV will lead to superior MSC selection and preparation for therapeutic purposes. We report that EV from umbilical cord tissue Wharton’s Jelly MSC participate in signaling networks such as TGF-B and adenosine previously attributed to non-EV soluble mediators. The biological activity of EV-associated TGF-B which is packaged into EV membranes as latent or pro-forms, requires activation through bystander proteases and effector cells (e.g. monocytes) present in biofluids, presenting a complex interaction. How these observations impact the conduct and interpretation of standard immune assays, and the implications for improving MSC for therapeutic applications is discussed.
Add to Calendar ▼2018-03-28 00:00:002018-03-29 00:00:00Europe/LondonExtracellular Vesicles (EVs: Exosomes and Microvesicles): Research, Diagnostics and Therapeutics ApplicationsSELECTBIOenquiries@selectbiosciences.com
Add to Calendar ▼2018-03-29 16:30:002018-03-29 17:30:00Europe/LondonImmune Modulation by Mesenchymal Stem Cells through Extracellular VesiclesSELECTBIOenquiries@selectbiosciences.com
