A new method for producing blood stem cells may in the future replace voluntary bone marrow donors as a source of stem cell transplants. Four European research groups will work on developing the ground-breaking approach with support from the European Research Council (ERC). Cecilia Sahlgren, professor of cell biology at Åbo Akademi University, is taking part in the endeavor. Development of the bioreactor will be performed together with Eindhoven University of Technology where Sahlgren works part-time as a professor of biomedical engineering.

The MakingBlood project is funded by European Research Council (ERC), the most prestigious funding organization supporting top-level research in Europe. The project will receive in total 9.9 million euros of ERC-Synergy funding of which Professor Sahlgren’s share is 2.2 million euros. Sahlgren co-operates with Professor Anna Bigas (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute Foundation and Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Spain), who coordinates the project; Professor Gerald de Haan (Sanquin Blood Supply, the Netherlands); and Associate professor Cristina Pina (Brunel University of London, UK).

Read more about this project in our blog >> Link to the blog

More information

Cecilia Sahlgren, Professor of cell biology
+358-50 300 9680
cecilia.sahlgren@abo.fi