Prof Sakis Mantalaris is the first holder of the TCD Panoz chair in Pharmaceutical Biology, a position that aims to provide leadership in advanced therapeutics research and its clinical translation.
Prof Sakis Mantalaris, has been awarded €4.88m by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) to lead a team of researchers working on new scientific methods to improve the biomanufacturing of cellular therapeutics. The funding is part of SFI’s prestigious Research Professorship Programme.
Mantalaris is an internationally-respected researcher, who works with St James’ Hospital, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) on biomanufacturing engineering science methods for clinical application.
“I am delighted to have been awarded an SFI Research Professorship in the area of cellular therapeutics,” said Mantalaris.
He described Ireland as “a global leader” in the knowledge-based biomanufacturing sector. This sector is “being shaped by the emergence of novel complex personalised medicines, such as cellular therapeutics,” Mantalaris added.
Cell therapy refers to the transfer of living cells from one source or person to another, or into the same person after manipulation for a desired function. The use of cultured cells to treat patients, especially those with advanced cancers, immune or degenerative conditions, is increasing as the benefits are being realised.
However, variations in cell quality, type and the process used to create them makes the therapy somewhat unpredictable. Mantalaris and his team are aiming to smooth out these difficulties.
The team is proposing to create a platform to characterise and direct cellular heterogeneity through the understanding and control of metabolism throughout the biomanufacturing process. This plan has the potential to eventually deliver improved clinical outcomes.
Mantalaris hopes the SFI funding award will enable him to continue his existing collaborations in Ireland. He plans to a set up a new Level 9 training programme in Advanced Precision Therapeutics and Biomanufacturing with his collaborators.
“This award will provide a unique opportunity to integrate the academic excellence at Trinity College Dublin with the biomanufacturing excellence at the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) towards future clinical translation of cellular therapies at the St James’s academic campus,” Mantalaris said.
Dr Darrin Morrissey, NIBRT CEO, said the funding award would be “pivotal in developing Ireland as a leading global location” for the development of new cell-based medicines.
Prof John Gilmer, head of School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at TCD described Mantalaris as “an outstanding researcher in biomanufacturing with extensive experience at world class institutions.”
Mantalaris is the first holder of the TCD Panoz chair in Pharmaceutical Biology, a position that aims to provide leadership in advanced therapeutics research and its clinical translation.
“The SFI Research Professorship programme and opportunity to work with NIBRT were important factors in attracting Professor Mantalaris to Ireland,” said Gilmer.
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