Slovenia: Advancing 3D stem cell research

Research in regenerative medicine requires reliable and scalable 3D cell culture models. Traditional manual methods are time-consuming, prone to error and difficult to reproduce at scale. The partners in Eureka project Auto3DMSC addressed these challenges by developing an automated platform for cultivating and characterising mesenchymal stem cells, commended for their ability to differentiate into bone, cartilage, muscle and fat cells and repair tissue. With this support, researchers can accelerate the discovery of new treatments for bone, cartilage, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases that affect millions of people.

The project combined complementary Slovenian and Austrian expertise; BioSistemika developed the software, whilst LifeTaq-Analytics contributed automation know-how. Together, the team integrated advanced software for monitoring, analysing and processing large volumes of 3D stem cell data, and robotic laboratory devices into an automated platform. This makes it possible to perform high-throughput experimentation on 3D mesenchymal stem cell cultures with a level of reliability and reproducibility that was previously unattainable.

Auto3DMSC played a key role in turning our research concept into a practical, commercially viable solution. It helped us establish strong international partnerships and provided access to the resources we needed to grow, both in terms of technology and business.

Jan Škufca – Project Manager, BioSistemika

Jan Škufca, Project Manager at BioSistemika, recounts first receiving the specifications for the platform from LifeTaq-Analytics: “The robot had many liquid inputs and dispensing tubes, and whilst looking over the details, a team member came up with the surprisingly innovative idea of using it to mix cocktails.” Inevitably, a cocktail mixer was not a secondary output of Auto3DMSC, but the automated platform developed is significantly improving efficiency in preclinical biotechnology research in regenerative medicine.

Thanks to Eureka and the Slovenian Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation’s support, the project partners could receive funding, establish strong cross-border cooperation, obtain international visibility, coordinate activities efficiently and share knowledge, resources and market access. The project is also an example of how aligning Eureka funding with European Union structural funds maximises impact for growing companies and strengthens regional innovation ecosystems.

The cutting-edge platform developed in Auto3DMSC has been commercialised in research institutions and large companies as innovators seek to unearth new regenerative therapies. BioSistemika has boosted its revenue and created several new high-skilled jobs in Slovenia. Importantly, the project has also paved the way for BioSistemika’s international market entry, reinforcing Europe’s position in advanced biotechnology.

Auto3DMSC is not only a story of technological success but also of societal relevance. By enabling faster and more reliable research in regenerative medicine, the project results have the potential to contribute to new therapies and improved quality of life for patients worldwide.