PARTNERS

The AMELIE Consortium is made up of 13 organisations across 9 countries.

At each stage, separate institutions in the UK, Spain and Portugal will take a lead role.

Queen Mary University London, UK

Website: qmul.ac.uk

Contact:

Professor Charlie Knowles - [email protected]

Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) is one of the UK's leading research-focused higher education institutions. They have over 25,000 students, close to 4,500 members of staff and an annual turnover of £462m. Queen Mary has made a strategic commitment to the highest quality of research. They have invested in this principle by systematically recruiting the best academics in their disciplines from around the world. The results of the most recent national assessment of research – the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014) – have confirmed their place in the very top group of research-led universities in the UK.

The Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery and Trauma has approximately 120 research active staff and PhD students. The Centre’s themes are closely linked with clinical academic units within Barts Health NHS Trust, with many of its staff actively involved in clinical research, phase 2 and 3 clinical trials. The research themes are designed to create partnerships between basic scientists and clinicians in order to encourage true translational research. Professor Charlie Knowles is Co-Director of the National Centre for Bowel Research and Surgical Innovation. His main clinical interests are in the surgical management of benign coloproctological conditions and severe motility disorders including the use of neurostimulation.

Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal

Website: tecnico.ulisboa.pt/en

Contact:

Professor Joaquim Cabral - [email protected]

Professor Cláudia Lobato - [email protected]

Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) is the largest and most reputed school of Engineering, Science and Technology in Portugal. Since its creation in 1911, IST’s mission is to contribute to the development of society by providing top quality higher education, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as well as developing Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) activities to allow it to provide teaching in line with the highest international standards. The Stem Cell Engineering Research Group (SCERG) of iBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences at IST works on the development of cell production systems for the ex-vivo expansion of stem cells and/or their controlled differentiation into specific cell types to generate the large numbers of high quality stem/progenitor cell subsets needed for Regenerative Medicine settings, as well as for the development of in vitro models for disease modelling and drug testing.

University College London, UK

Website: ucl.ac.uk/medicine

Contact:

Professor Richard Day - [email protected]

Founded in 1826 in the heart of London, UCL is London's leading multidisciplinary university, with more than 13,000 staff and 42,000 students from 150 different countries. Through a progressive approach to teaching and research, our world leading academics, curious students and outstanding staff continually pursue excellence, break boundaries and make an impact on real world problems.

The UCL Division of Medicine brings together clinical and basic scientists undertaking world-leading interdisciplinary research, teaching and patient-care. It is the largest department in the Faculty of Medical Sciences, within the School of Life and Medical Sciences, forming one of the largest concentrations of biomedical scientists in Europe in one of the world's leading universities. The faculty comprises 130 principal investigators, including 5 Fellows of the Royal Society, 15 members of the Academy of Medical Sciences and 3 Senior Investigators of the National Institute for Health Research. Their research aims to understand the basis of disease, and to develop better diagnostics and treatments for diseases with an emphasis on experimental medicine.

Medical University of Graz, Austria

Website: medunigraz.at

Contact:

Dr Andrea Frudinger - [email protected]

The Medical University of Graz (MUG) comprises 3 pre-clinical Research Centres, 4 Pre-Clinical Institutes, 19 Clinical Departments, 1 Clinical Institute and a purpose-built Centre for Medical Research equipped with highly specialized core facilities as well as lab and office space for research projects. The Medical University of Graz runs one of the largest biobanks in Europe and plays a leading role in the European Union’s endeavour to build up a harmonized biobanking infrastructure across Europe. The number of employees is about 2500. Approx. 4300 students are enrolled in the study programmes (Human Medicine, Dentistry, Doctoral Programs) and post-graduate programs.

The University cooperates with many national and international partners. It strongly supports interdisciplinary cooperation with other universities and actively liaises with academic institutions and the business sector in the region. Its most important partner is the Regional & University Hospital Graz with its 1500 beds, 87,000 inpatients and 1.2 million outpatient services per year, which – in close cooperation with the University – provides tertiary care for all other hospitals in the Province of Styria and in the neighbouring provinces. This creates an environment in which researchers have access to patients needing primary care as well as high-end medicine, which is ideally suited for research into translational and practice-relevant aspects of medicine.

The research activities at the Medical University of Graz cover a broad spectrum in clinical and preclinical fields. The University is currently enrolled in 35 projects under H2020.

Aarhus University, Denmark

Website: international.au.dk

Contact:

Professor Jakob Jakobsen - [email protected]

Aarhus University (AU) was founded in 1928. AU has over the years established itself as a university for cutting-edge research and has been moving up the most important university ranking lists. In 2019, the university is ranked at number 108 at the Leiden Ranking, number 145 at the QS World University Ranking, and number 115 of 17,000 universities on the Times Higher Education World University Ranking.

Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark

Website: en.auh.dk

Contact:

Dr Lilli Lundby - [email protected]

Aarhus University Hospital (AUH) belongs to the elite of university hospitals with the aim to be the best choice for patients and professionals. For eleven years in a row Aarhus University Hospital has been appointed Denmark’s best hospital. AUH develops and provides highly specialized treatment, research and education at an eminent international level. AUH is now the second largest hospital in Scandinavia and has 1150 beds and about 10,000 employees, with a major focus on research and innovation. AUH has been successfully involved in more than 26 collaborative EU projects.

The Department of Surgery at Aarhus University Hospital is an internationally renowned and highly specialized department for diagnosis and state-of-the-art treatment of coloproctology. In 2014 Aarhus University Hospital established a Pelvic Floor Unit with the mission to perform research and treat benign functional problems related to the pelvic organs in a multidisciplinary approach eliminating usual borders between specialities. The Pelvic Floor Unit works in synergistic collaboration with other centres of excellence and incorporates the specialized competences at AUH regarding bowel dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, brain-gut interaction and chronic pain. Thus, the pelvic floor unit receive patients with bowel dysfunction and pelvic floor problems from all over Denmark. The Anal Rectal Physiology Unit is internationally highly respected and has been among the most popular site for a 3-months fellowship for younger surgeons donated by the European society of colorectal surgery.

Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Spain

Website: www.fjd.es/iis-fjd/en 

Contact:

Dr Héctor Guadalajara Labajo - [email protected]

Dr Damián García del Olmo - [email protected] 

Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD) is a non-profit foundation established by Fundación Jimenez Díaz (FJD) University Hospital and "Universidad Autónoma de Madrid" (UAM) in 2009. It has a well-established record of commitment to research and teaching in addition to its clinical, care-related activity. Their goal is to foster excellence in research, scientific and technological understanding, teaching, and training in the hospital. This purpose is behind the strategy that seeks to bring advancement and research to clinical practice in the most efficient possible way.

Dr Garcia-Olmo is the author of a number of patents in Regenerative Medicine in perianal diseases. His research team consists mainly of surgeons and veterinarian has extensive experience in experimental models and has participated in numerous clinical trials. Pioneering in the clinical use of stem cells to deliver minimally invasive surgery techniques, the group has developed a complete line of clinical trials with mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue. Dr Garcia-Olmo’s seminal work is the origin of the first cell therapy drug approved by the European Medicine Agencies (EMA) (Darvadstrocel / Alofisel), of which he is an inventor with an institutional patent (UAM). Darvadstrocell (Takeda Pharmaceuticals), which is used for the treatment of fistulas of patients with Crohn's disease, is the result of a public-private collaboration developed entirely in Spain, which has also generated more than 120 highly qualified jobs.

NHS Blood and Transplant, UK

Website: nhsbt.nhs.uk/cellular-and-molecular-therapies

Contact:

Laura Murray - [email protected]

Jon Smythe - [email protected]

The Cellular and Molecular Therapies function of NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is uniquely positioned to support the exciting developments that are taking place in this field.  Using our wealth of expertise and experience, we provide a tailored process development and GMP manufacturing service for a variety of research, pre-clinical and clinical campaigns.  We have four cell therapy facilities in the UK manufacturing advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) in partnership with healthcare, academic and commercial customers.  Furthermore, our Clinical Biotechnology Centre has been manufacturing GMP-grade molecular therapeutics for over 20 years.  As well as supporting early phase clinical trials, we also provide quality control, importation and batch release testing.

Ttopstart, Netherlands

Website: ttopstart.com

Contact:

Eleanor Dawson - [email protected]

Aaron Cossio - [email protected]

Ttopstart (TT) is a consulting company that supports leading researchers and innovative companies in the fields of life sciences and healthcare. Their professionals have a shared passion for making the complex simple, realising meaningful impact, and pushing through barriers. Their approaches build upon proven and tailored consulting methods and a deep understanding of the sector. It is their goal to accelerate the introduction of impactful innovations.

Ttopstart consists of a team of creative, ambitious professionals who combine knowledge of science and commercial skills. Their passions include health and wellbeing, learning and growing, performance and leadership. Their purpose is to enable breakthroughs in life sciences to contribute to a healthy community.

To drive lasting change, what you need are top strategies that drive engagement and sustainability. Ttopstart believe you should always start with the end in mind. Specifically, if that end is transferring knowledge into practical applications, you should already prepare for these next steps at the beginning of the research project. At ttopstart, they look beyond the boundaries of one project. They start with the end in mind and prepare for impact. They prefer to focus on multiple connecting projects at the same time and have the long-term vision in mind for choices and plans that are being made today.

Consorzio per Valutazioni Biologiche e Farmacologiche, Italy

Website: cvbf.net

Contact:

Cristina Manfredi - [email protected]

Consorzio per Valutazioni Biologiche e Farmacologiche (CVBF) is a not-for-profit research organisation founded in 2000 with the mission to perform research and education in the pharmaceutical field integrating regulatory, clinical, epidemiological, economical, methodological and statistical expertise.

CVBF has offices in Italy (Pavia and Bari) and in Albania (Tirana), where a branch office was opened in 2015 to support academia and pharmaceutical companies willing to conduct clinical research in this Country. All activities are carried out in partnership with its members: University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Gianni Benzi Pharmacological Research Foundation, TEDDY – European Network of Excellence for Paediatric Research and Mediterranea Associazione per lo Sviluppo Locale.

CVBF has been involved in the conduction and management of clinical research since 2002 and has been self-certified as a Contract Research Organisation at the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) since 2009. Many activities are conducted in the context of EU funded projects and are focused on the development and application of innovative methodologies in clinical trials for small populations (e.g., rare diseases, paediatrics), as well as on the management of interventional, non-interventional, health technology assessment, pharmacoeconomic studies, and disease registries.Services cover all phases of the clinical development of medicinal products and medical devices; these include medical writing, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, trial operation, monitoring and data management.

Bowel Research UK, UK

Website: bowelresearchuk.org 

Contact:

Dr Lesley Booth - lesley@bowelresearchuk.org 

Hannah Coates - [email protected] 

Bowel Research UK is the UK’s leading specialist bowel cancer and bowel disease research charity.  Every year over 16,000 people die from bowel cancer in the UK and over a million suffer from bowel disease. By researching cutting edge treatments and investing in the best science, they are saving and improving people’s lives. 

Bowel Research UK was founded in 2020 following a merger between two well-respected charities: Bowel & Cancer Research and Bowel Disease Research Foundation (BDRF). Between them, the two charities have over 50 years’ worth of experience in helping to fund cutting-edge research and making enormous progress in the fight against bowel cancer and other bowel diseases.

They aim to both increase and strengthen the research base in the UK and to support international research collaborations.  Importantly, they will both continue and expand our investment in training the next generation of researchers. Bowel Research UK believe that they make research better when they involve the public in all its aspects, so they have a unique programme to make this happen called People and Research Together, or PaRT. Through all these means, they will help people with bowel diseases to live longer and improve their quality of life.

Rouen University Hospital, France

Website: chu-rouen.fr 

Contact:  

Dr Anne-Marie Leroi - [email protected] 

Dr Valérie Bridoux - [email protected]

Professor Leroi and Dr Bridoux form a medical-surgical binomial expert team in the management of patients suffering from faecal incontinence. Their expertise has enabled them to carry out numerous research endeavours in order to ensure that their patients benefit from the latest therapeutic innovations, of which cell therapy is a key area. They work as part of the Regional Centre for Pelvi-Perineology within Rouen University Hospital (RUH). This centre, established in 2015, includes 1 digestive surgeon, 1 digestive physiologist, 1 gastroenterologist, 2 urologists, 2 gynaecologists, 2 physiotherapists, 1 psychologist, 1 radiologist, 1 pain physician, 1 nurse. Approximately 400 cases of patients suffering from pelvic floor disorders are discussed annually by the experts at the centre.

University Hospital Erlangen

Website: kontinenzzentrum.uk-erlangen.de/ueber-uns 

Contact:

Professor Klaus Matzel - [email protected]

Ulrike Hoffmann - [email protected]

University Hospital Erlangen (UHE) was founded in 1815. It is situated in the south of Germany (Bavaria) and is part of the “Europäische Metropolregion Nürnberg” (European Metropolitan Region Nuremberg). The university hospital, the university and the city of Erlangen have a common goal in mind: to be known as the “City of Health and Medicine”. Within the scope of “Medical Valley EMN” (a scientific cluster-cooperation) the university hospital, the university and the city are collaborating with scientific, commercial and political partners to gain an international leadership position in the health care and medical engineering fields.

The Continence and Pelvic Floor Centre is an amalgamation of several institutions within the University Hospital Erlangen and the Malteser Waldkrankenhaus St. Marien. The main partners are the surgical clinic, the gynaecological clinic and the urological and paediatric urological clinic. The aim is to combine specialist clinical knowledge about urinary and faecal incontinence as well as various other diseases related to the pelvic floor. The interdisciplinary approach of our centre enables individually tailored therapy plans for our patients and thus optimal treatment by integrating several specialist disciplines.