Combining Advanced Biomaterials and Designer Stem Cells to Treat Disc Degeneration: A Regenerative Medicine Approach to Address the Grand Challenge of Back Pain
Summary: The Global Burden of Disease study reports back pain as the single most common cause of disability worldwide, with a lifetime prevalence of over 80% in Canada. Though the causes of back pain are complex, it is most often associated with degeneration of the spinal joints termed intervertebral discs (IVD). Despite its impact on Canadians and resulting health care and socioeconomic burden, there are currently no disease-modifying treatments. The proposed research seeks to address this “Grand Challenge” by bringing together key stakeholders who each represent individual pieces of the puzzle. Combining the expertise of a diverse international team, this team is developing a novel biomaterials platform to deliver ‘designer’ pro-regenerative stem cells to the intervertebral disc as a therapy to restore function. They are testing various material and cell combinations to optimize the therapeutic product, testing in the lab under conditions that mimic the disc using high-throughput bioreactor systems and in a clinically relevant large animal model. The activities supported by the Bone and Joint Institute enable the transfer of essential knowledge and skills between 3 institutions (Western University, Queen’s University, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center USA) to rethink conventional approaches and generate key pilot data to support future collaborative grants. This research is laying the groundwork to advance a novel cell-based therapy to improve the health and quality of life of individuals affected by disc degeneration and back pain.
Project Duration: September 2024 – August 2026 Amount: $25,000
Team Leads: Cheryle Seguin (Physiology & Pharmacology) & Lauren Flynn (Anatomy & Cell Biology / Chemical & Biochemical Engineering)
Team Members: Brian Amsden (Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University), Lisbet Haglund (Orthopaedics, McGill University), Dmitriy Sheyn (Orthopedics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center), Albert Yee (Orthopaedic Surgery, Sunnybrook), Wafa Tawackoli (Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center), Melodie Metzger (Orthopedics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center)
Completed Milestones
- Awarded Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant (Fall 2024) – $960K
- Awarded Stem Cell Network Grant (Fall 2024) – $270K
- Integration of testing of biomaterials platforms combining novel polymer with decellularized disc tissue and testing properties
- Designer stem cell technologies: adoption of novel cell lines and methods for induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) differentiation (ongoing)
- In vitro product testing: integration of stem cells within biomaterial platforms with testing to assess cell survival and function (ongoing)
- Trainees have been sent on knowledge exchange trips to learn techniques from collaborator labs
Future Milestones
- Pilot in vivo product testing: large animal model to demonstrate proof-of-concept of cell therapy platform for IVD regeneration
- Preclinical trial (5+ years from now)
