In this interview series, Leonardo Massa showcases scientists’ journey toward founding groundbreaking tech startups.
Read the conversation with Cinzia as she explains about her transition to becoming a Scientist Founder and provides invaluable advice for future scientist founders.
https://scientistfounders.substack.com/p/cinzia-silvestri-scientist-founder
Join us next week for Nucleate’s exciting event, where our CEO, Cinzia Silvestri, will participate in a panel discussion focused on Bridging Dutch biotech excellence with global entrepreneurial opportunities.
Under the title: Empowering biotech innovators of tomorrow, this event marks the official launch of the Dutch chapter of Nucleate, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping PhD students and postdocs become successful biotech entrepreneurs. The event will be held on June 11th in Utrecht.
Cinzia will be joined by Kianti Figler, CEO of Upstream Foods; Jeroen Kruter, PM of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency; and Keno Gutierrez, Partner at BioGeneration Ventures. The panel will engage in an open discussion comparing Dutch and American entrepreneurial cultures, exploring the mindset needed for startups to go global early, and highlighting programs that support the mobility of biotech talent, companies, and investments between the Netherlands and other countries.
Date: June 11th, 2024
Location: Accelerator, Utrecht Science Park
Time: 2 – 6 PM
Register here
We look forward to seeing you there and seizing the opportunity to network and collaborate within the vibrant Dutch biotech ecosystem!
Our CEO, Cinzia Silvestri, will share her entrepreneurial success story with 400 incoming female students at TU Delft on June 7th during the IMC Trading Ladies Intro.
This exciting day kicks off with a central opening in the Aula, featuring speeches by Suze Vernooij (Chairwoman OWee), Mette van den Heuvel (Vice Chairwoman OWee), Marjan Kreijns (Director of the Green Village), and Cinzia Silvestri.
Cinzia will discuss her journey from being a student at TU Delft to founding Bi/ond, and what it’s like to run a startup, seek investment, develop a product range, and grow a team—as a woman entrepreneur. She will also highlight the support she has received from her network of colleagues and partners.
This year marks the 31st anniversary of the Ladies Intro Day, a renowned event organized by the new student welcome committee at TU Delft. The event aims to connect and inspire women in technical fields at the university, offering a fun, interactive day where lasting friendships are made.
We look forward to being a part of your journey at TU Delft!
🔗 If you haven’t registered yet, do so here: https://lnkd.in/eU2AhkXf
🔗 If you want to learn more about Bi/ond, check out: https://lnkd.in/e3y26V4k
Delft, the Netherlands, 07:30 CEST and Cambridge, UK 06:30 BST, 30th April 2024 – Bi/ond, a TechBio company empowering pharmaceutical companies to make drug decisions through the fusion of hardware, machine learning, and tissue engineering, and bit.bio, the company coding human cells for novel cures, today announced the generation of a 3D in vitro model for studying Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), stemming from their collaboration.
DMD is a genetic disorder causing progressive muscle degeneration and weakness, primarily affecting males, with an incidence of 6 out of 100,000 individuals*. Symptoms of muscle weakness emerge in early childhood. Despite much effort, there are no curative therapies for DMD. Research using 3D in vitro models has the potential to help accelerate the discovery of much-need treatments.
Bi/ond has established protocols to generate and characterize human 3D skeletal muscle microtissues within its MUSbit™ platform using opti-ox™ powered, defined and functional iPSC-derived ioSkeletal Myocytes™ and associated DMD disease model cells from bit.bio. The disease models carry a genetically engineered hemizygous deletion in exon 44 or exon 52 of the DMD gene encoding the dystrophin protein, and were compared to their genetically matched healthy control.
"We are delighted that this collaboration with Bi/ond has led to the creation of a human 3D in vitro model to study how exon deletions impact muscle cell function with bit.bio’s DMD disease model cells. Our cells offer consistency, scalability and reproducibility, overcoming the challenges associated with the use of alternatives such as primary muscle cells, immortalised cell lines and animal models, which suffer from variability and may not accurately represent human biology. Having access to a physiologically relevant translational model for DMD will help scientists accelerate the development of treatments for this relentlessly progressive degenerative disease
Bi/ond’s scientists successfully assessed cells for myotube formation and 3D tissue self-organization and evaluated contractile responses to various electrical stimuli. Within a week, they reliably generated functional 3D muscle bundles with striated myotubes and established protocols for recording intracellular calcium transients.
The result shows replication of key aspects of DMD pathophysiology in a human 3D in vitro model.
This achievement was made possible through the combined expertise of the partners and Bi/ond’s silicon-based technology, which integrates tissue growth, drug testing, and activity recording on a single platform, optimizing experimentation while reducing cell usage.
“The promising outcomes of our DMD cell experiments, conducted in collaboration with bit.bio, emphasize the transformative potential of joint research efforts in addressing critical, unmet medical needs such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. These results showcase the capabilities of Bi/ond, facilitating the growth, tracking, and testing of 3D tissues on a single platform equipped with high-throughput, microfluidics, and sensing capabilities. This innovative approach enables the generation of human-like data, thanks to the integration of advanced microelectronics”.
The model and protocols developed are now accessible. Companies in the DMD spectrum striving for innovative treatments are encouraged to reach out to Bi/ond for detailed insights and possibilities.
For further information contact:
Bi/ond – info@biondteam.com
bit.bio – info@bit.bio
Media Enquiries
Bi/ond – Zuriñe Garcia – marketing@biondteam.com
bit.bio – Chris Hempel, Spark Public Relations, chris.hempel@sparkpr.com
If you are interested in the results obtained or want to schedule a demo, get in contact now
About Bi/ond
Bi/ond is a biotechnology company at the forefront of drug discovery. We leverage our unique expertise in combining hardware, machine learning, and tissue engineering to empower pharmaceutical companies to make informed drug development decisions.
At the heart of our technology lies a groundbreaking silicon chip, seamlessly integrating sensors, living 3D human tissues, and a blood vessel, thus creating an environment mirroring the human body. This technology enables the generation of reliable, human-relevant data for drug testing, accelerating the journey towards life-saving treatments.
Read more: https://www.gobiond.com
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/biond
About bit.bio
bit.bio is a synthetic biology company focused on human cells that is advancing medicine and enabling curative treatments. bit.bio’s opti-ox™ precision cell programming and manufacturing technology enables conversion of induced pluripotent stem cells into any desired human cell type in a single step. This can be achieved within days and at industrial scale, while maintaining exceptional purity and unparalleled consistency. bit.bio’s cell therapy pipeline, based on txCells™, is focused on serious diseases that lack effective treatments. Our lead candidate, bbHEP01 based on txHepatocytes, is in development as a treatment for patients suffering from acute liver failure (ALF) and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Our extensive ioCells™ research cell product portfolio is opening up new possibilities for studying human biology and developing new medicines. The company was spun out of the University of Cambridge in 2016 and has raised approximately $200m.
*source : Muscular Dystrophy Association https://www.mda.org/disease/duchenne-muscular-dystrophy
Delft, The Netherlands – 13 February 2024 – Bi/ond, a cutting-edge Dutch startup focused on developing organ-on-chip platforms, is one of the proud recipients of the €1.1M Eurostars grant, awarded as part of the European Partnership on Innovative Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.
The Delft-based company is partnering with Vandria (Switzerland), as well as Biomeostasis and Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) (France) for this project. Bi/ond will empower the rest of the consortium with their organ-on-chip hardware technology platform that uniquely incorporates essential features required for the successful development of muscular dystrophy models.
The project is funded by the European Union through the Eurostars program with joint contributions from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), Bpifrance and Innosuisse, and will help advance the development of Vandria’s VNA-052, a best-in-class mitophagy inducer for the treatment of muscle diseases, toward the clinical phase.
Vandria’s muscle program mitophagy drug candidate, VNA-052, is expected to improve muscle function in patients with muscle pathologies of high unmet medical needs.
The program enables the consortium partners to make use of Bi/ond’s technology platform for the development of biological protocols and assays. A robust skeletal muscle model will be developed and used to understand what drives the muscle penetration of the drug candidate, as well as to give the possibility to study healthy versus diseased models.
AP-HP joins the consortium under the leadership of world leading sIBM expert Prof. Olivier Benveniste. The research organization will test VNA-052’s effect on immune cells from sIBM patients, as well as potential efficacy and target engagement biomarkers.
Finally, the Consortium is completed by in vivo model experts Biomeostasis who will develop a series of first-in-kind rodent models (Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sarcopenia) and downstream analysis pipelines to obtain proof of concept efficacy data for VNA-052 in other muscle indications, expanding the value of the compound and serving as mitigation for the sIBM program.
As a result of the collaboration, the group expects to be able to generate preclinical data that demonstrates the efficacy of the drug.
“The Eurostars grant presents a tremendous opportunity for Bi/ond to contribute to the development of effective therapies for muscular dystrophy, benefiting the millions of people worldwide suffering from these diseases. We are enthusiastic about leveraging our biological and engineering expertise, collaborating with pioneering organizations like Vandria, Biomeostasis and Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP)” states Dr. Cinzia Silvestri, CEO and co-founder of Bi/ond.
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For further information contact:
Bi/ond
info@biondteam.com
Media Enquiries
Zuriñe Garcia
About Bi/ond
Bi/ond specializes in empowering biological innovations through microfabrication techniques and integrated electronics components. We engineer microfluidic chips that create reproducible biological models, reducing the need for animal testing. Our unique platform includes electrophysiology functionality, enabling stimulation and monitoring of muscle contractions. This technology is crucial for patients with rare genetic diseases, as it facilitates the development of tailored treatments. By studying organs on our platform, researchers gain insights into disease mechanisms and test the effects of drugs on human-derived tissues.
Read more: https://www.gobiond.com
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/biond
Bi/ond has been featured in the SME Focus section of the latest Inside* industry magazine.
The article highlights Bi’ond’s mission to bridge the gap between biology and engineering, and to pave the way to more personalized medicine and medical treatments.
We do this through regular collaborations with top institutions and medical centers across Europe to validate our technology and contribute to advancements in cancer and heart muscle tissue research.
Read more about our technology and the journey of Bi/ond in this feature piece.
*Inside is the Industry Association that strives for a leading position of Europe in Intelligent Digital Systems. The multidisciplinary nature of the membership provides an excellent network for the exchange of technology ideas, build together strategic R&I agenda’s, cross-domain fertilisation, as well as for large innovation initiatives.
Our CEO, Cinzia Silvestri, is nominated to the TOPX Females to Follow Awards in the category Rising Stars in Entrepreneurship.
The nominees are 30 amazing female professionals in the Health and Life Sciences sector.
The awards aim at empowering promising and ambitious women, and honouring inspirational females with remarkable careers, so they can be an inspiration to the next generation of women and follow in their footsteps.
The awards will give visibility and celebrate the achievements of three winners in the categories – Rising Stars in Entrepreneurship, Industry and Science (for the full list of nominees, read here)
Voting is possible until the 4th of January 2024 trough this link, and winners will be announced at the TOPX Summit on 18 January in Utrecht.
We have been featured in the latest Labvision magazine issue !
For a few months, our biology team has been using a Nikon microscope to image some of our experiments. For the moment, we have used it mostly with fixed tissue slides on the basis of fluorescence to look at the suitable expression markers of different cell types, and confirm that the barrier functions properly.
As next step, we will also do live cell experiments with it, for instance to follow up how cells move from one to another compartment; or if you have muscle tissue in a pillar in our MUSbit™, to observe how the flow of medicine affects the muscle contraction.
If you have a hard copy of the magazine, go to pages 56-59 to read more.
If not, check the article here to discover multiple applications of our organ-on-chip technology that can help your own research.
Download now our poster :
Stimulating 3D Skeletal Muscle Microtissues in a Novel Perfusable Microphysiological System with Integrated Electrodes
Delft, July 11th, 2023
Bi/ond is proud to announce its participation in the groundbreaking project called “MAGIC” (Next-generation Models And Genetic therapIes for rare neuromusCular diseases). This ambitious four-year initiative, jointly funded with approximately 9.5 million EUR by Horizon Europe, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation of Switzerland (SERI), aims to revolutionize the treatment landscape for muscular dystrophies—a group of severe genetic disorders currently lacking effective therapies.
Muscular dystrophies (MDs) are characterised by muscle wasting, impaired mobility, and premature death, presenting significant challenges for patients and researchers alike. The lack of robust human(ised) models for development of advanced therapies has been a major barrier to clinical translation in the field of genetic therapies for muscle diseases. The MAGIC consortium is determined to overcoming this challenge by developing advanced models of human skeletal muscle pathophysiology and innovative gene therapy vectors.
Led by Prof. Francesco Saverio Tedesco (scientific coordinator; University College London and The Francis Crick Institute) with the support of Dr Mario Amendola (Inserm, coordinating institution), the MAGIC consortium brings together 15 partners from 9 countries, including 8 from academia/research hospitals, 4 SMEs among which, Bi/ond, and 3 charities/NGOs. (*)
By combining expertise in muscle stem cells, regeneration and disease modeling, microfabrication, and microfluidic technologies, the consortium aims to generate advanced multicellular models of neuromuscular diseases using “muscle-on-chip” devices. These devices will be utilized to test genetic therapies and genome editing strategies.
Bi/ond will empower the consortium partners by providing the technological platform and its biological expertise in the field of muscle-on-chip models. Bi/ond will support the development of multilineage 3D muscle models using human primary and iPSC-derived cells, enabling the creation of robust in vitro models of human muscle and neuromuscular disorders.
“We aim at revolutionizing muscular dystrophy treatment through the MAGIC Project, harnessing the power of Bi/ond’s cutting-edge technology. By uniting with esteemed researchers and partners worldwide, we will do our best to bring hope and transformation to the lives of patients who can’t wait any longer” – Cinzia Silvestri, CEO of Bi/Ond solutions.
Professor Francesco Saverio Tedesco is optimistic about the impact of MAGIC: “This project represents a significant step forward in the search for effective treatments for muscular dystrophies. Through cutting-edge bioengineering, innovative genetic therapies, and advanced preclinical translation, we aim to make a difference in the lives of people affected by these devastating diseases.”.” Professor of Neuromuscular Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University College London, Senior Group Leader, The Francis Crick Institute.
For more information about Bi/ond’s involvement in the MAGIC project, please contact through the details below, or visit https://www.gobiond.com or the project website.
Zuriñe Garcia
Marketing Lead
marketing@biondteam.com
*: BI/OND Solutions (Netherlands), Inserm (France), Hannover University Medical School (Germany), Université Paris XII Val de Marne (France), Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (USA), The Francis Crick Institute (UK), King’s College London (UK), National University of Ireland Maynooth (Ireland), Muscular Dystrophy UK (UK), Parent Project APS (Italy), Duchenne Data Foundation (Netherlands), VIVE Biotech (Spain), ReiThera (Italy), Dinaqor Dynamics (Switzerland) and University College London (UK).
About Bi/ond:
Bi/ond specializes in empowering biological innovations through microfabrication techniques and integrated electronics components. We engineer microfluidic chips that create reproducible biological models, reducing the need for animal testing. Our unique platform includes electrophysiology functionality, enabling stimulation and monitoring of muscle contractions. This technology is crucial for patients with rare genetic diseases, as it facilitates the development of tailored treatments. By studying organs on our platform, researchers gain insights into disease mechanisms and test the effects of drugs on human-derived tissues. Choose Bi/ond for advanced technology and dedicated engineering support.
About the MAGIC project:
The MAGIC (Next-generation Models and Genetic therapies for rare neuromuscular diseases) consortium brings together leading international institutions, biotech companies and patient advocacy groups to accelerate the development of gene therapies for muscular dystrophies. By creating advanced human quasi vivo models, developing tissue-specific vectors, and exploring gene editing strategies, the consortium aims to overcome the barriers that have hindered the translation of genetic therapies into clinical applications. Through collaboration, innovation, and a patient-centred approach, the MAGIC consortium is committed to making a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals affected by muscular dystrophies.
This work is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee grant numbers 10080927, 10079726, 10082354 and 10078461.
Project Original Press release
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