Inštitut za biologijo celice

We had the privilege of attending the 18th CTRMS 2025 Congress (Tokyo 🗼 , 22–25 October; https://ctrms2025.org/), where we were inspired by the excellent organization of the Organizing Committee Board and the leadership of Prof. Toshio Miki, Congress Board Chair. 🧑‍🔬 His pioneering work on cell transplantation and human amniotic membrane (hAM)-based therapies, along with his organizational vision, enabled the successful ex*****on of the congress and the gathering of top-tier researchers from around the world.

The keynote and plenary presentations by Prof. Wei Gao, Prof. Shinichi Matsumoto, Prof. Jun Takahashi, Prof. Hideyuki Okano, Prof. Ivan Martin, Prof. Charlotte Keung, and Prof. Stephen Strom showcased cutting-edge innovations in iPS cell therapies, hepatocyte and islet transplantation, tissue engineering, and advanced technology-enabled regenerative strategies.

☀️ HUMAN AMNIOTIC MEMBRANE: A KEY FOCUS
The congress also highlighted exciting work from various groups focusing on human amniotic membrane (hAM) and perinatal cell-derived therapies. These contributions emphasize that hAM is not just a passive biomaterial but, when combined with its native epithelial cells, a viable and ethically acceptable source for regenerative therapies. Our team also had the opportunity to present our research. Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft, PhD, delivered a lecture entitled: “Oxidative stress-induced inflammation in an in vitro model of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome is mitigated by human amniotic membrane.”

The combination of innovative biomaterials, advanced technologies (microrobots, sensors), and cell-based therapies offers promising pathways from laboratory research to clinical translation. The knowledge and collaborations gained at CTRMS 2025, including from hAM-focused groups, will strongly guide and accelerate our ongoing research in regenerative medicine.

📚 PUBLISHED ABSTRACTS
Transplantation journal: https://journals.lww.com/transplantjournal/toc/2025/10001



📸 Photo Credit: Mateja Erdani Kreft and https://photos.ctrms2025.org/

V radijski oddaji Frekvenca X na Val 202 z naslovom Mitohondriji – junaki naših celic je sodelovala izr. prof. dr. Daša Zupančič iz Inštituta za biologijo celice. Z novinarko Majo Ratej se je pogovarjala o vlogi mitohondrijev v naših celicah, o razvoju mitohondrijev in njihovem spreminjanju med telesno aktivnostjo.

Lepo vabljeni k poskušanju na povezavi: https://val202.rtvslo.si/podkast/frekvenca-x/31057643/175168629

✨ Workshop on regenerative medicine and 3D bioprinting: “Bridging Placental Tissue Innovation with Translational Research”
📍 Belgrade, Serbia | 🗓 18–19 September 2025
🔗 amnioprintcare.imi.bg.ac.rs/en/workshop

At the recent Workshop, organized by Dr. Hristina Obradovic and the Group for Hematology and Stem Cells, Institute for Medical Research, our team contributed two invited lectures highlighting the potential of the human amniotic membrane in regenerative medicine and cancer research.

🧫 Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft presented:
“Cell type-specific effects of human amniotic membrane preparations: towards customized regenerative therapies.”
🔬 Assist. Aleksandar Janev presented:
“Human amniotic membrane targeting bladder cancer: Evidence from 2D and 3D models.”

We thank the organizers for the excellent event and inspiring discussions advancing the goals of the AmnioPrintCare project.

Kaj imajo skupnega celična biologija in zdravljenje psov?

V našem primeru – kar veliko. 🧫🐶

S pomočjo celično-bioloških pristopov v okviru predkliničnih raziskav na miškah smo z naravnim, netoksičnim polisaharidom hitozanom uspešno pozdravili bakterijsko vnetje sečnega mehurja (cistitis). Opogumljeni zaradi teh rezultatov smo terapijo s hitozanom kasneje uspešno preizkusili tudi pri psičkah.
Vse skupaj se je začelo pri miškah, pri katerih smo z različnimi celično-biološkimi metodami analizirali vpliv hitozana na z bakterijami okužen urotelij sečnega mehurja. Disperzijo hitozana smo aplicirali neposredno v mehur preko katetra, pri ustreznih koncentracijah in v določenih časovnih intervalih pa smo dosegli kontrolirano odluščitev okuženih urotelijskih celic. To je po eni strani spodbudilo hitro obnovo epitelija, po drugi strani pa povečalo dostopnost antibiotikov in omogočilo hitrejšo odstranitev bakterij iz mehurja.

Po uspešni terapiji pri miškah smo pristop prenesi v veterinarsko medicino, kjer veterinarji danes uspešno zdravijo cistitis pri psičkah s hitozanom. Za uporabo hitozana v te namene je skupina, v kateri sta med ostalimi tudi prof. Peter Veranič in izr. prof. Andreja Erman, prejela slovenski patent, na kar smo zelo ponosni. Predvsem pa smo veseli, da so rezultati bazičnih raziskav s področja celične biologije dobili uporabno vrednost v veterinarski medicini in upamo, da v prihodnosti tudi v humani medicini, saj je bakterijski cistitis pri ženskah zelo pogost.

✨ 17th Multinational Congress on Microscopy (17MCM)
📍 Portorož, Slovenia | 7–12 September 2025
🔗 17mcm.si; https://lnkd.in/dZarAwSw

This year’s 17MCM was proudly organized by the Slovene Society for Microscopy , whose seat is at the The congress brought together researchers from across disciplines, uniting instrumentation and methods, life sciences, and material sciences under one event. This interdisciplinary format fostered meaningful exchange of knowledge, while exhibitors showcased the latest advances in microscopy technology to the scientific community.

We at the Institute of Cell Biology are proud to have contributed both to the organization of the congress and through our active participation:
· Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft – plenary lecture & session chair
· Assist. Prof. Samo Hudoklin – session chair & invited lecture
· Prof. Rok Romih – invited lecture
· Poster contributions – Prof. Andreja Erman, Assist. Prof. Nataša Resnik, Dr. Larisa Tratnjek, Assist. Tim Zaveršek, Assoc. Prof. Daša Zupančič, Assist. Domen Kanduti, DMD

A warm thank you to all participants for making 17MCM a true celebration of microscopy!

🌍 17th International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry (ICHC 2025)

📍 Rimini, Italy | 🗓 27–30 August 2025

🔗 www.ichc2025.com

The congress, organized by Prof. Pavel Hozák, PhD (President of IFSHC) and Prof. Roberta Di Pietro, PhD (President of SII and Chair of the Local Organizing Committee), brought together leading experts to discuss advances in histochemistry, cytochemistry, regenerative medicine, advanced therapies, and microscopy.

We are proud that our team had the opportunity to contribute.
👉 Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft delivered a plenary workshop lecture:
“The use of biomimetic 2D and 3D urothelial in vitro models with molecular, morphological and functional characteristics of normal and cancerous bladder tissue as an alternative method in preclinical studies.”

✨ At ICHC 2025, the following prestigious awards were presented – congratulations to all recipients:

Robert Feulgen Prize – Prof. Roland Foisner (Austria): for his groundbreaking work on lamins in nuclear organisation and chromatin regulation.

David Glick Award – Prof. Christoph Cremer (Germany): for pioneering super-resolution microscopy to study 3D chromatin topography.

Paul Nakane Prize – Prof. Pavel Hozák (Czech Republic): for lifetime contributions to the molecular regulation of gene expression via phase separation, including the discovery of Nuclear Lipid Islets.

📖 Proceedings are published in the European Journal of Histochemistry: https://www.ejh.it/ejh/issue/view/223

🔊 ℹ️ From June 11th to 13th, 2025, a three-day meeting took place at the Institute of Cell Biology as part of the research programme P3-0108 (Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics in Biomedicine) and the bilateral project between Slovenia and Serbia (BI-RS/23-25-036; Development of Mucoadhesive Films with Amniotic Membrane Homogenate for Potential Use in Oral Tissue Regeneration).

As part of the visit, a mini-symposium entitled Integrative Cell and Tissue Engineering Concepts Involving Periodontal Tissues, Erythrocyte-Based Drug Delivery and Bone Marrow Adipocytes was held, providing an opportunity for valuable scientific discussions, strengthening of collaboration, and planning of future joint research activities. Guest speakers included Dr Ivana Okić Đorđević, Dr Ivana Drvenica, and Dr Drenka Trivanović from the Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, and Domen Kanduti, DDM, from the Department of Oral Medicine and Periodontology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana.



🔊 ℹ️V času od 11. do 13. junija 2025 je na Inštitutu za biologijo celice potekalo tridnevno srečanje v okviru raziskovalnega programa P3-0108 (Celična biologija in molekularna genetika v biomedicini) ter bilateralnega projekta med Slovenijo in Srbijo (BI-RS/23-25-036; Razvoj mukoadhezivnih filmov s homogenatom iz amnijske membrane za potencialno uporabo pri regeneraciji ustnega tkiva).



V sklopu obiska je potekal tudi mini simpozij z naslovom Integrative Cell and Tissue Engineering Concepts Involving Periodontal Tissues, Erythrocyte-Based Drug Delivery and Bone Marrow Adipocytes, ki je omogočil dragocene strokovne razprave ter utrditev sodelovanja in načrtovanje prihodnjih skupnih raziskovalnih aktivnosti. Gostujoči predavatelji so bili dr. Ivana Okić Đordević, dr. Ivana Drvenica in dr. Drenka Trivanović iz Inštituta za medicinske raziskave, Univerze v Beogradu, Nacionalnega inštituta Republike Srbije ter Domen Kanduti, dr. dent. Med iz Katedre za ustne bolezni in parodontologijo, Medicinske fakultete Univerze v Ljubljani.

📺 Prof. dr. Mateja Erdani Kreft iz Inštituta za biologijo celice (MF-UL), je bila 8. 5. 2025 gostja oddaje Ugriznimo znanost: Človeška celica na programu TV SLO1. Posnetek oddaje je dosegljiv na povezavi:
https://www.rtvslo.si/rtv365/arhiv/175130194?s=tv

V oddaji boste slišali naslednje zanimivosti:
Hitrost signalov v živčnih celicah lahko doseže 400 km/h!
V jedru vsake naše celice je DNK veriga, dolga okoli 2 m!
Naše celice so lahko tudi zdravilo!

Urednici oddaje Ugriznimo znanost, ga. Renati Dacinger, in celotni ekipi se zahvaljujemo za njihov neprecenljiv prispevek k širjenju znanosti. Hvala, ker spodbujate radovednost in znanstveno miselnost! 👨‍🔬 🧪 🔬

#🚀 📘News Alert! 🚀📘
Our Institute of Cell Biology colleagues have published an insightful chapter on the vital role of Vitamin A and retinoids in preventing and treating bladder cancer.

https://lnkd.in/eGdCrdgV

🔬 Vitamin A:
- Crucial for cell development, immune function, and metabolism in vertebrate organisms.
- Studies show a diet rich in Vitamin A potentially reduces urinary bladder cancer risk 💪 .

💡 Human Requirements:
- Vitamin A, obtained exclusively from dietary sources.
- Rich sources include liver, carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and other colorful fruits and vegetables.

🦠 Bladder Cancer:
- Ranks fifth in the European Union and ninth worldwide, presenting a formidable challenge with high recurrence rates and limited treatment efficacy.

🔍 Scientific Insights:
- Historical studies link Vitamin A to cancer prevention.
- Recent evidence illuminates the interconnected roles of Vitamin A and gut microbiota in bladder cancer, offering promising avenues for preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Join us as we delve deeper into the vital connection between Vitamin A, retinoids, and the microbiota-immune system axis in the fight against bladder cancer! 🦠💪🏼

https://lnkd.in/eGdCrdgV

📢 Veselimo se uspehov raziskovalcev z Univerze v Beogradu, dr. Hristina Obradovic, dr. Ivane Okić Đorđević in celotne raziskovalne skupine za hematologijo in matične celice (Group for Hematology and Stem Cells, Institute for Medical Research) ter njihovih odličnih dosežkov. Ponosni smo, da smo z našimi raziskavami lahko prispevali k uspešnim raziskovalnim projektom in dosežkom raziskovalne skupine v Beogradu, ter se veselimo nadaljnjega sodelovanja. Iskrene čestitke! 🎉

🔬 🧪 Eden od projektov, AmnioPrintCare project je bil lani deležen medijske pozornosti, ker temelji na razvoju inovativnih rešitvah na podlagi amniijske membrane za vporabo v onkoplastiki. V medijskih objavah je omenjen Inštitut za biologijo celice - Institute of Cell Biology (IBC), ter sodelavci IBC-ja ki so s svojimi raziskavami dali podlago za idejo tega projekta in so aktivno vključeni v raziskave.

📰 Objave so dostopne v srbščini na naslednjih povezavah:

Jutranji program "Probudi se", TV NOVAs: https://lnkd.in/gZyaVkXe
• "Naučni portal" (Znanstveni portal), Radio televizija Srbije, Drugi program: https://lnkd.in/gKD-DQxv

• Dnevni časopis BLIC : https://lnkd.in/gHWQptUE
•Dnevni časopis ALO, https://lnkd.in/dkDgxKgQ
•Dnevni časopis Novosti, https://lnkd.in/d8UqrxGN

Več o projektu lahko preberete na spletni strani https://lnkd.in/dtuSzYFr

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📢 Univerza v Ljubljani (UL) v sklopu Tedna Univerze ob obletnici ustanovitve vsako leto razglasi najodličnejše raziskovalne dosežke raziskovalk in raziskovalcev UL.

🥳 Priznanje za najodličnejše raziskovalne dosežke Univerze v Ljubljani so v letu 2024 prejeli tudi sodelavci Inštituta za biologijo celice, ki so sodelovali pri nastanku prispevka, ki poudarja pomen tako eksperimentalnega kakor teoretičnega dela na področju membranskih nanostruktur.

Več o razglasitvi in dosežkih si lahko preberete na povezavi:

https://www.uni-lj.si/novice/2024-11-28-na-univerzi-v-ljubljani-razglasitev-najodlicnejsih-raziskovalnih-dosezkov-v-letu-2024