Agilent Research Catalyst Award Presented to Columbia University for Professor Pawel Muranski
Scientist recognized for pioneering advances in bioprocess development and biomanufacturing
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today announced that Columbia University has received an Agilent Research Catalyst (ARC) Award on behalf of Dr. Pawel Muranski, an internationally recognized researcher and physician-scientist specializing in bone marrow transplant (BMT) and cancer cellular immunotherapy.
Dr. Muranski is the Director of Cellular Immunotherapy Laboratory at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He is also an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, a principal investigator at the Columbia Center for Translational Immunology (CCTI), and a member of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center. The award acknowledges Dr. Muranski's ongoing efforts to develop live-cell analytical assays and workflows for bioprocess development and biomanufacturing of cell therapeutics under the current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) guidelines and regulations.
Dr. Muranski's research at Columbia University focuses on developing, validating, and implementing a novel, universally applicable cGMP platform for highly efficient ex vivo generation of clinical-grade multi-specific CD4+ cytotoxic T cells, which will be used to treat hematological malignancies (i.e., leukemias and lymphomas) and certain cancers (e.g., head and neck, melanoma, GI tract cancers) that frequently express tumor-associated antigens such as cancer-testis antigens, viral oncoproteins, and neoantigens resulting from so-called hot-spot mutations. The ARC award provides research funding and a suite of Agilent instruments and software including, a Seahorse XF Pro Analyzer, an xCELLigence Real-Time Cell Analysis (RTCA) MP instrument, a NovoCyte Penteon Flow Cytometer, a BioTek Cytation 1 Cell Imaging Multimode Reader, and a BioTek 800 TS Absorbance Reader.
"Cellular immunotherapy has transformed modern oncology, offering the potential for fully curative cancer treatments. However, given the personalized and labor-intensive nature of cellular therapies, significant challenges remain to fully achieve this goal," stated Dr. Muranski. "We are excited to leverage advanced technologies and solutions from Agilent to enhance, streamline, and automate these therapies. Initially, we will use these tools to accelerate the development of innovative manufacturing methods. Subsequently, we will apply the same solutions to establish robust, standardized quality control assays essential for the routine production of anti-cancer T cells for patients in our clinical trials. We are very grateful to Agilent for supporting our work at Columbia."
"Agilent is committed to expanding the frontiers of bioprocess development and biomanufacturing for advanced therapies. We are thrilled to present this ARC Award to Columbia University and Dr. Muranski," added Xiaobo Wang, vice president and general manager of the Cell Function and Phenotyping Business at Agilent. "His pioneering work in developing live-cell analytical assays and GMP workflows is truly transformative and aligns perfectly with our mission to support cutting-edge research that drives innovation in cell therapeutics."
"Dr. Muranski's innovative approach to developing a cGMP platform for generating clinical-grade multi-specific CD4+ cytotoxic T cells is a significant leap forward in the field of cell therapeutics," added Xavier Amouretti, vice president and general manager of the BioTek product line at Agilent. "By providing advanced analytical tools and resources, we aim to empower researchers like Dr. Muranski to push the boundaries of science and accelerate the development of transformative therapies for patients worldwide."
The ARC Award program is committed to fostering scientific advancement and supporting noteworthy university research in life sciences, diagnostics, and chemical analysis by providing financial aid, products, and expertise. For more information, visit the Agilent Research Catalyst (ARC) program web page.
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