01Step 1
Small skin-cell sample
A small scientific tissue sample provides the starting material.
02How it works
How BioPancrea works
Six connected stages show how the research-stage concept moves from a small skin-cell sample to an intended glucose-responsive vascular platform.
02Step 2
Skin cell
A skin cell is isolated from the sample as the biological starting point.
03Step 3
Beta-like cell cluster
The cells are guided toward insulin-producing beta-like cells.
04Step 4
Hydrogel integration
The beta-like cell clusters are incorporated into a supportive hydrogel.
05Step 5
Stent integration
The cell-containing hydrogel is integrated near the wall of the vascular stent.
06Step 6
Intended glucose-responsive insulin release
The aim is to investigate whether the cells can respond to changing glucose levels and release insulin into the bloodstream.
BioPancrea is a research-stage concept and is not an approved medical treatment.
08Reference
Key terms
Cell engineering+
The process of guiding cells toward a specialised biological identity.
Beta-like cell+
A stem-cell-derived cell designed to reproduce important characteristics of an insulin-producing pancreatic beta cell.
Hydrogel+
A water-rich biomaterial that can provide cells with a supportive three-dimensional environment.
Vascular stent+
A small expandable scaffold designed to sit within a blood vessel.