Dr Christos Papadimitriou, CEO of Tessara Therapeutics, is leading an innovative approach to drug development by using micro tissue technology to mimic the human brain.
His team aims to provide a more accurate method of testing for neurodegenerative diseases, moving beyond traditional animal trials.
“We trick the cells to believe that they are inside the human brain,” said Papadimitriou.
This technology is being developed at the Jumar incubator in Melbourne, a collaboration between CSL, Melbourne University, and WEHI.
The incubator supports 24 biotech startups, including Papadimitriou’s, by providing laboratory space, shared equipment, and access to investors.
The goal is to bridge the gap between academia and industry, ensuring that promising research reaches the market and benefits patients.
Papadimitriou is hopeful that his work, along with a growing database of information, will be adopted globally within the next 25 years.
“We’ve cured anything in mice from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases, but the research does not translate,” he said.
His vision is for his technology to help accelerate drug development and improve the translation of research into treatments for patients worldwide.
Source: Herald Sun.
