Project RETEMED: Biotechnologies that change medicine
The RETEMED (REcombinant Technologies for Medicine) project is one of the key research programmes aimed at developing innovative biotechnological solutions in the field of medicine. The main objective of the project, which is funded by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic under the NCK Programme and whose principal investigator is Palacký University in Olomouc, is to create a competence centre linking research institutions, academia and private companies. The research covers a wide range of topics – from the development of recombinant vaccines and immunotherapeutics to diagnostic technologies and new treatments for stroke.
The Faculty of Science of the J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem (UJEP), as a co-investigator of the RETEMED project, is involved in research in several key areas that have the potential to contribute significantly to medical progress.
One of the main research directions is the development of biosensors for early detection of diseases. The research team from the Faculty of Science of UJEP focuses on advanced biosensors that are able to identify biomarkers of various diseases in the form of lipid nanovesicles, called exosomes, quickly, cheaply and with high sensitivity.
“These technologies, based on optical microchips, promise to realize the diagnosis of cancer progression without the need for specialized, costly equipment,” says Mgr. Jan Malý, Ph.D., head of the Centre for Nanomaterials and Biotechnology (CENAB) at the Faculty of Science, UJEP.
The second important area of research at UJEP is the development of immunomodulatory and anti-cancer products. Dr. Malý’s team is developing nanoparticle formulations that can help in the treatment of inflammatory and cancer diseases. Plant exosomes, recombinant proteins and liposomal carriers represent promising options for effective therapy.
“Our work on immunomodulatory and anti-cancer formulations based on so-called plant exosomes has the potential to provide new therapeutic approaches with higher efficacy and fewer side effects,” explains Dr. Malý.
The RETEMED research is also linked to the TEREP sub-project, which focuses on commercialising results, particularly in the areas of diagnostics, vaccines and immunotherapeutics. This project develops, for example, predictive diagnostics for neurodegenerative diseases or new radioprotective drugs.
The RETEMED project brings major innovations in biotechnology and healthcare and its outputs can have a significant impact on the global market for pharmaceuticals and diagnostic tools.
The RETEMED project (registration number TN02000122) is co-funded by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic under the NCK Programme.