Novel immune cell platforms for health research – start of Fraunhofer Attract group in Hannover

News / August 29, 2022

“IMMUNITY – designer cells: novel immune cell platforms for health research” is the research project that Prof. Nico Lachmann will be starting at Fraunhofer ITEM in August 2022. The research work in this project will be funded under the “Fraunhofer Attract” grant program. “Fraunhofer Attract” offers outstanding external scientists the opportunity to develop their ideas towards actual applications close to the market within an optimally equipped Fraunhofer institute. Prof. Lachmann will be leading the Attract group at Fraunhofer ITEM, in addition to heading the Applied Stem Cells and Translational Macrophages Research lab at the Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology of the Hannover Medical School.

© MHH, Mania Ackermann
Macrophages produced from induced pluripotent stem cells fight bacteria (red).

Immune cells and immune cell preparations play an increasingly important role in modern medicine. To meet the ever-increasing demand, biomedical researchers are exploring alternative ways of obtaining immune cells by means of novel bioprocesses, as well as methods for propagating such cells. Prof. Lachmann and his team have already laid a foundation. The researchers make use of the capacity of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to continuously divide and differentiate. They have successfully produced mature immune cells, for example macrophages, in scalable systems – from laboratory scale to industrial application.

“This method of standardized immune cell production from iPSCs is a great asset for investigating and evaluating candidate drugs – because we can test their efficacy and safety directly in human target structures,” says Prof. Lachmann. The aim is to advance the development and validation of these tests under the Attract program. In addition, cell-based potency assays are planned to be established. These test systems for measuring the biologic activity of biologics and bioengineered drugs play an important role in GMP quality control and release testing of active pharmaceutical ingredients and medicinal products. Based on this key technology for continuous production of macrophages from iPSCs, the researchers in Prof. Lachmann’s lab also want to develop novel manufacturing processes for different fully standardized immune cell products and cell-based immunotherapies within the Attract project.

Prof. Lachmann and his team have a budget of 2.5 million euros over five years for their research under the Fraunhofer Attract program. “An idea becomes an innovation, if it can be turned into a practical application,” says Prof. Lachmann. “It is important to me that my research gets from bench to bedside. The Fraunhofer Attract grant allows me to develop my ideas further with a focus on practical applications, while also being able to draw on the wide range of expertise available within Fraunhofer.”

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Novel immune cell platforms for health research – start of Fraunhofer Attract group in Hannover

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Prof. Dr. Nico Lachmann

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Dr. Cathrin Nastevska