Research Projects

Regenerative Medicine - Tissue Engineering

The prometheus saga witnesses: even the ancient Greeks knew about the regenerative potential of the liver.

However, up to now bringing about a directed re-growth of the liver in patients where the natural regeneration of the organ fails, remained a gordian knot to medical practice.

The complex and multidimensional mechanisms behind the "prometheus phenomenon" leave scientists confronted with an intricate challange.

hepacult's accumulated knowledge and know-how open new horizons to novel modes of treatment. For instance, the re-implementation of cells treated in culture could pose an innovative therapeutic method. In terms of liver cell transplantation a cellular therapy for patients suffering from liver disease would become possible.

In concert with research partners hepacult examines factors relevant for liver regeneration within in vitro models by testing their functionality, specifity and usablity for certain pathologies. Factors which are found in regenerating livers (autoresponse of the human body) are tested within this models not only with respect to singular cause-effect-interrelations, but are also tried out in particular mixtures (formulas) and hence appraised for their possible market fitness (feasibility assesment).

Moreover, the possibility exists to evaluate secondary effects, e. g. the modulation of liver metabolism via these factors and adopt them to clinical usage.