New scientific advisors bring expertise in cell therapy development, surgery & transplantation, liver disease, diabetes, and biomaterials
Vancouver, BC, Canada - June 7, 2022 - Aspect Biosystems, a biotechnology company pioneering the development of bioengineered tissue therapeutics to transform how we treat disease, is pleased to announce the appointment of five new advisors to the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Appointments include Dr. James Shapiro, Dr. Anil Dhawan, Dr. Jane Lebkowski, Dr. Shinichiro Ogawa, and Dr. Omid Veiseh.
"I am thrilled to welcome five experts who are at the top of their respective fields to Aspect’s Scientific Advisory Board," said Tamer Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer, Aspect Biosystems. "We have made great strides in applying our bioengineering platform to create a robust pipeline of tissue therapeutics, and each new scientific advisor will uniquely contribute to our mission as we introduce an entirely new category of regenerative medicine."
"I’m incredibly excited about the potential of 3D bioprinting that Aspect Biosystems brings," said Dr. James Shapiro. "This could be transformative across the board for all forms of regenerative cell therapies. As a clinical liver and islet cell transplant surgeon I am anticipating that these approaches could one day replace the need for some solid organ transplants, and potentially allow transplants to proceed without the need for immune suppression."
"I am delighted and honoured to be joining the SAB of Aspect Biosystems," said Dr. Anil Dhawan. "Having spent over 20 years in developing cellular therapies for liver failure and liver based metabolic defects, I have followed the long-awaited step change technology that Aspect Biosystems’ has developed. I am very excited to be part of the Aspect Biosystems’ journey towards regenerating and repairing the liver avoiding the need for liver transplantation."
"It is an honor to be part of Aspect’s SAB," said Dr. Jane Lebkowski. "I have been involved in the translation of scientific discoveries through to advanced clinical development of cell and gene therapies for the last 35 years. It is exciting to see Aspect’s development of engineered cellular structures that can potentially recapitulate the natural function of tissue and have the potential to avoid rejection without long-term immunosuppression."
"I am excited to join the SAB at Aspect Biosystems and support their work to develop implantable stem cell-derived liver tissues to treat a variety of acute and chronic liver conditions as an alternative to liver transplants," said Dr. Shinichiro Ogawa. "I believe that Aspect’s unique bioprinting technology will enable the manufacturing of functional liver tissues at a scale necessary to treat patients."
"I’m looking forward to working with the impressive team at Aspect Biosystems to help translate their bioprinting technology for regenerative therapeutics to patients for liver failure and other diseases," said Dr. Omid Veiseh.
About Aspect’s New Scientific Advisors
Dr. James Shapiro is a pancreas and liver transplant surgeon at the University of Alberta and is one of the leading voices globally for diabetes research. He led the clinical team that developed the Edmonton Protocol – a pioneering approach that paved the way for islet transplants – and is focused on clinical applications for type 1 diabetes.
Dr. Anil Dhawan is a professor of paediatric hepatology and head of the hepatocyte biology and transplantation group at King’s College London (KCL). He has led some of the most advanced clinical studies for hepatocyte therapy and is focused on bringing cell therapy for liver indications to the clinic.
Dr. Jane Lebkowski is President of R&D at Regenerative Patch Technologies and has commercial experience taking cell therapies through to advanced clinical trials. She has been actively involved in the development of cell and gene therapies since 1986, including direct involvement in clearance of INDs for over 10 novel products.
Dr. Shinichiro Ogawa is an affiliate scientist at the McEwen Stem Cell Institute and Ajmera Transplant Centre at University Health Network (UHN), an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, and a cross-appointed professor in liver transplant surgery at Shinshu University in Japan. Dr. Ogawa is an expert in stem-cell derived hepatocytes and focuses on using stem cell-derived hepatocytes to scale up liver tissue with the best cells.
Dr. Omid Veiseh is Co-founder of Sigilon Therapeutics and Avenge Bio and is a professor of bioengineering at Rice University. He is an expert in biomaterials, implantable devices, and immune recognition and response, and is developing technologies for the improved management of type 1 diabetes, cancer, and various autoimmune diseases.
About Aspect Biosystems
Aspect Biosystems is a biotechnology company creating bioengineered tissue therapeutics to transform how we treat disease. Aspect is leveraging its proprietary microfluidic 3D bioprinting technology, therapeutic cells, and materials science to create a pipeline of allogeneic cell-based tissue therapeutics that replace or repair damaged organ functions. These therapeutics are rationally engineered to be biologically functional, immune-protective, and suitable for surgical implantation. The company is also partnering with leading researchers and industry innovators worldwide to tackle the biggest challenges in regenerative medicine. Learn more at www.aspectbiosystems.com.
Contact
Natalie Korenic
Aspect Biosystems
+1-604-263-0502
media@aspectbiosystems.com