Angiogenesis and Cardiovascular Remodelling Group

PREVIOUS PROJECTS

1. Cell therapy employing endothelial progenitors for experimentally induced cardiac ischemia (EPETER). International Reintegration Grant, Project director: Marilena Lupu; Funding source: FP7 Marie Curie Actions EU FP7, People - 2007-4-3-IRG
2. Development of cell therapies using endothelial progenitors derived from human bone marrow and placental tissues. National Reintegration Grant, Project director: Marilena Lupu; Funding source: Romanian Ministry of Education and Research, Program PNCDI-II, Human Resources. (Lupu M. et al. J Cell Mol Med, 2011; Iordache F. et al., Central European J Biol., 2010).
3. Bilateral cooperation between Romania and Germany for reinforcing the European scientific competitiveness in the field of stem cell research with applications for cardiovascular regeneration, acronym “CORES”; German-Romanian Bilateral Cooperation Grant. Project director: Marilena Lupu; Funding source: Romanian Authority for Scientific Research & Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany. (Lupu, M. et al., Cell Physiol Biochem, 2011).

CURRENT PROJECTS

Preclinical model of cell therapy employing protein tyrosine phosphatase-microRNA interplay to optimize neovascularization (“THERION”). Partnership project. Project director: Marilena Lupu / Alexandrina Burlacu; Funding source: Romanian Ministry of Education and Research Framework Program PNCDI-II.

Concept: As Therion is a renewed constellation, which includes a number of multiple stars, the acronym “THERION” has been chosen for this project, aiming to establish a novel, personalized preclinical in vitro cell transplantation model (Fig. 1) for validation of functional neovascularization induced at the level of cardiac tissue by endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) engineered to express the most suitable constellation of vasculogenic PTPs.
Objectives: (i) to identify PTPs differentially expressed during commitment of umbilical blood and matrix-derived stem cells into ECFCs; (ii) to identify miRs that regulate expression of PTPs established to play key roles during ECFCs differentiation and their participation to vasculogenesis; (iii) to investigate at the functional level the capacity of the identified miR-PTP pairs to modulate ECFCs-induced neovascularization in cardiac tissue.

Molecular mechanisms of human umbilical cord-derived stem cells integration and vasculogenesis within the cardiac tissue; implications for cardiovascular regeneration (“RE-CORD”).

Young Independent Research Team Grant. Project director: Marilena Lupu; Funding source: Romanian Ministry of Education and Research Framework Program PNCDI-II
Objectives: to investigate the molecular mechanisms of integration into the cardiac tissue of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs and EPCs, as well as their contribution to cardiovascular regeneration by employing in vitro cardiac transplantation models.
During previous and current work, we have established standard operation protocols for characterization of EPCs and MSCs (Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, respectively). For the investigation of cellular and molecular interactions with the cardiac extracellular matrix/myocardium, during integration and vasculogenesis, the cells are cultured, under optimized conditions, with either vital (Fig. 4) or ischemic murine ventricular slices.

The interactions are investigated at gene and protein levels for the assessment of molecules and signalling pathways with determinant roles in stem/progenitor cells chemotaxis, integration, proliferation, and vasculogenesis.
“RE-CORD” project has premises to depict the mechanisms of umbilical cord-derived stem/progenitor cells interactions with the cardiac tissue, contributing to the development of reliable cell replacement therapies for cardiovascular repair of congenital and acquired defects.

Reinforcement of the adult stem cell research area through mobility and scientific networking between Egypt, Romania and a German consortium for strengthening the international scientific competency (“RAMSES”). FP7 Capacity Building Grant (http://www.project-ramses.eu/);

Coordinator: Konrad Brockmeier
Romanian Team Coordinator: Maya Simionescu, Romanian Team Scientific Coordinator: Marilena Lupu; Funding source: EU FP7, Capacities-International Cooperation, Research Potential REGPOT-2009-2; Participants: University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology „Nicolae Simionescu“, Bucharest, Romania , Cairo University (CU), Cairo, Egypt.
Concept: During the reign of RAMSES II, Egypt achieved an economical and cultural period of prosperity. Thus, RAMSES II can be seen as a synonym for capacity building and sustainability.
Objectives: to develop a partnership through twinning actions between the University of Cairo and European centers of excellence at the Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology