News & events

24 and 25 March, 2021

The Extracellular Matrix (ECM) Symposium with a focus on drug discovery and development will take place March 2021. We are celebrating 500 publications with a two half-day symposium on ECM.

We will take deep dives in lung fibrosis (IPF), liver fibrosis (NASH), inflammatory bowel diseases (UC and Crohn’s), solid cancers with tissue fibrosis, inflammatory joint diseases (RA, OA, PSA), systemic sclerosis (SSC), kidney fibrosis (CKD, DKD) and heart failure (CVD) which all are diseases with dysfunctional fibroblasts and altered ECM.

We are very proud to present Dr. Mina Bissell, a renowned biologist and ECM research expert, who will give a talk reflecting on the importance of the ECM.

The almost-final program is attached. We are presenting the program with University of Southern Denmark (SDU), where I am an adjunct professor. We hope that many students will join. Not just from SDU but other universities, companies and people interested in the ECM.
You are welcome to sign up now at ECMsymposium@nordicbio.com, and send an abstract. We will select two abstracts for oral presentations and awards.

We cannot wait to host this special event. Please join us keeping the scientific buzz going in this challenging period for so many individuals.

Stay safe and Happy Holidays,

Prof. Morten Karsdal, CEO
Nordic Bioscience

Agenda Day 1, 24 MARCH:

15.00 CET | 10.00 AM EST | 7.00 AM PST -  INTRODUCTION
Dr Morten A. Karsdal

• Introduction to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and collagens - how to use these proteins as biomarkers for diagnosis, efficacy and prognosis: The interstitial matrix - the components and function.

15:45 CET | 10.45 AM EST | 7.45 AM PST LIVER FIBROSIS - CLINICAL DECISION MAKING
Professor Aleksander Krag Professor

• Markers of extracellular matrix to guide clinical decision making: Current concepts and unmet needs in liver diseases.

16:30 CET | 11.30 AM EST | 8.30 AM PST ECM AND FIBROSIS IN CANCER
Dr Nicholas Willumsen

• How collagens and tumor fibrosis deactivate the immune system and block access to the tumor leading to poor prognosis and immunotherapy resistance: Quantification by serological measurements.

17:10 CET | 12.10 PM EST | 9.10 AM PST FIBROID AND LYMPHOID BLOOD BASED ENDOTYPES IN IMMUNOLOGY

Dr Anne-Christine Bay-Jensen

• The role of blood-based tissue profiling and its correlation to patient reported outcomes in immunology. Rheumatoid Arthritis, psoriasis arthritis and Osteoarthritis as examples.

17:50 CET | 12.50 PM EST | 9.50 AM PST PRESENTATIONS SELECTED FROM ABSTRACTS

1. Binge drinking induces an acute burst re-lease of PRO-C3 across etilogy and stage of fibrotic liver disease. (Mads Egerod Israelsen)
2. Collagenolytic activity in macrophages is dependent on lysosomal protease ca-thepsin D during liver fibrosis. (Anna Moles Fernandez)
3. Proposal for systemic nomenclature for ”antifibrotic” agents with a view towards anticipated medical benefit. (Edward Cable)

18.30 CET | 1.30 PM EST | 10.30 AM PST  ECM IN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE (IBD)
Dr Joachim Høg Mortensen

• ECM in IBD – identification of the fistulizing and fibrostenotic endotypes and how to identify early response.

19.15 CET | 2.15 PM EST | 11.15 AM PST THE CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE OF ECM FOR CELL FUNCTION

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Dr Mina Bissell

The crucial importance of ECM for cell function.

• Dr Bissell is a Distinguished Scientist in the Biological Systems and Engineering Division of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Agenda Day 2, 25 MARCH:

15.00 CET | 10.00 AM EST | 7.00 AM PST TISSUE RESPONSES IN ARTHRITIS
Professor Georg Schett

• Tissue responses in arthritis

15.45 CET | 10.45 AM EST | 7.45 AM PST FIBROTIC COMPONENTS OF THE ECM
Professor, Grith Lykke Sørensen

• Fibrotic components of the ECM - the role of microfibrillar-associated protein 4 (MFAP4) as a biomarker.

16:15 CET | 11.15 AM EST | 8.15 AM PST LIVER FIBROSIS Liver Fibrosis
Dr Diana Julie Leeming

• Liver fibrosis – the balance between formation and degradation, and the difference between interstitial and basement membrane – how to identify the right efficacy early

16.55 CET | 11.55 PM EST | 8.55 AM PST KIDNEY FIBROSIS
Dr Daniel Guldager Rasmussen

• Kidney fibrosis – turnover of the interstitial extracellular matrix (ECM) as a predictor of adverse outcomes, and the potential effect of treatments on the ECM.

17:35 CET | 12.35 AM EST | 9.35 AM PST CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
Dr Federica Genovese

• CVD is a fibrotic disease – identification of fibrosis and fibroblasts as a central regulator and predictor of outcome in HFpEF.  

18.10 CET | 1.10 PM EST | 10.10 AM PST LUNG FIBROSIS
Dr Jannie Sand

• Lung fibrosis, COPD and asthma – exploring lung tissue remodeling to predict progression and guide treatment, and how this knowledge may be used in COVID-19.

18.50 CET | 1.50 PM EST | 10.50 AM PST THE REGULATORY LANDSCAPE

Dr Elisabeth Erhardtsen

• The regulatory landscape for an invitro diagnostic product (IVD) approval in year 2022, clinical and technical validation needs according to CLSI standards.

19:30 CET | 2.30 PM EST | 11.30 AM PST ANTI-FIBROTIC TREATMENTS

Professor Detlef Schuppan

• Anti-fibrotic strategies with focus on extracellular matrix modulation

20:15 CET | 3.15 PM EST | 12.15 PM PST CLOSING REMARKS

Professor Morten Karsdal

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