News & events

24 and 25 March, 2021

The Extracellular Matrix (ECM) Symposium with a focus on drug discovery and development will take place next year: 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

Preliminary Agenda Day 1:

Introduction
Dr Morten A. Karsdal (45 min)

• 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.

ECM in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Dr Joachim Høg Mortensen (45 min)

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

ECM and Fibrosis in Cancer
Dr Nicholas Willumsen (45 min)

• 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.

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

Fibroid and lymphoid blood-based endotypes in immunology

Dr Anne-Christine Bay-Jensen (45 min)

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

Preliminary Agenda Day 2:

Lung Fibrosis, Asthma and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Dr Jannie Sand (45 min)

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

Liver Fibrosis
Dr Diana Julie Leeming (45 min)

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

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
Dr Federica Genovese (45 min)

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

Kidney Fibrosis
Dr Daniel Guldager Rasmussen (45 min)

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

Dr Elisabeth Erhardtsen and Dr Tina Manon-Jensen (45 min)

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

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