EBiSC2

Everyone has stem cells throughout their bodies. These cells have the potential to develop into many different type of cells, and they act as a repair system for the body. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are a specialised type of stem cells that can be generated directly from cells donated by fully consenting individuals such as blood or skin cells, and can be used for modelling of diseases. Afterwards, the cells can be converted into any cell in the body.

iPSC cells are increasingly becoming the norm for health researchers, and testing on these cells is often a first step in searching for a new drug candidate. Using these cell lines means that researchers can cut down on the numbers of animals used in testing, eliminating costs and sparing animal lives, which is in line with the EU’s push to replace, reduce, and refine the use of animals in research, known as the 3Rs.

The first EBiSC project centred around the establishment of the European Bank for Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, a stem cell bank that could provide researchers with high-quality iPSC lines, data and cell services. You can read more about the achievements of the first EBiSC project here: https://www.ihi.europa.eu/projects-results/project-factsheets/ebisc

Ensuring the sustainability of EBiSC

Building on the success of EBiSC, the EBiSC2 project set out to ensure that the stem cell bank could become a self-sustaining, not-for-profit organisation. It is a central repository, meaning that the EBiSC bank collects stem cells and makes them available for other researchers to use. The cell lines provided by EBiSC are guaranteed to be of high quality, and were obtained ethically and legally, which means that they are robust and ready-to-use.

The EBiSC2 project delved deep into the structure of the stem cell bank, and explored whether everything was as stringent as it could possibly be. The researchers expanded the scope of the original bank, adding more cell lines to the catalogue such as pre-differentiated cells, and examined different protocols and standards to ensure that the stem cell bank was adhering to the highest possible standards. Nearly 1000 different iPSC cell lines are now stored in the bank in an open catalogue, covering more than 45 genetic diseases. Genomic and clinical datasets are also available, and EBiSC is providing services to help companies understand how best to use these products and define protocols, and to help support various research studies.

Patient involvement was crucial for EBiSC, especially since patients are donating their tissues to the bank. EBiSC2 worked with a patient organisation and found that patients are motivated to donate samples because they want progress in scientific research. The project then developed an informational page to help patients to understand how their tissue samples will help to further scientific research and develop future treatments for diseases.

High-quality guarantee of stem cell lines

The clear benefit that EBiSC brings to industry and SMEs in particular is the high quality of these cell lines. Companies can trust that the cell lines are in line with industrial standards, and that the source samples were obtained legally and ethically. All cell lines available from the EBiSC bank have a self-renewing identity, are classed as pluripotent, are sustainable and have full characterization datasets available. 

If you’re interested in accessing cell lines for your research project, the EBiSC2 iPSC cell line bank is a source of high-quality, well-characterised, pluripotent, ethically and legally compliant cell lines to support the development of better medicines in Europe.