Nordmark Biochemicals at the iCAST Congress 2021

Finally, back on the road!

After a long time without in-person events, we were delighted to attend and support the iCAST conference, which took place in Nescens, Clinique de Genolier on December 4, 2021.

This conference was the 6th International Congress on Adipose Stem Cell Treatments and a great opportunity for surgeons and clinical staff to discuss the latest developments in stem cell research and therapy.

Adipose tissue, sometimes called fat tissue, contains adipocytes, a stromal vascular fraction (a mix of cells such as fibroblasts and endothelial cells) and a small number of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). As this tissue is easy to harvest by surgeons, it is often used as a source for stem cells, which are further processed and eventually transplanted into humans. Therapeutically, stem cells are injected in applications ranging from reducing wrinkles to treating joint degeneration. They aim to activate the endogenous immune system of the patient to heal the problem locally, but the mode of action remains elusive and is not well understood.

Other issues to be resolved or improved upon in the use of stem cells from adipose tissue remain. For example, depending on the application, an enormous number of cells may be required, so the process needs to be scaled up. Another challenge is maintaining product quality over the entire manufacturing process. A bit more basic but critical questions still to be answered include the ideal cell criteria.

If you want to learn more about in vitro GMP expansion and the quality criteria of adipose-derived MSCs for therapeutic use, please have a look at two outstanding presentations from the iCAST conference by Dr. Gianni Soldati, President of the Swiss Stem Cell Foundation, and Dr. Jeremy Magalon, Assistant Professor in the Cell Therapy Department at the Hospital Marseille.