FormaCyte
Project Overview
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About
Traditional insulin treatment for diabetes is difficult for patients to manage, meaning frequent, often fatal, loss of healthy blood glucose control. FormaCyte’s revolutionary implant offers optimum blood glucose control by providing sustainable insulin delivery without the need for toxic immunosuppressants. The device encapsulates insulin-secreting cells inside a semipermeable membrane which can automatically sense the blood glucose level and release insulin in an appropriate amount. The design also improves oxygen access to cells by manipulating their spatial arrangement.
Team
Chi Pham
Nanyang Technological University
Chi Pham is a biology devotee taking the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary environment. She is doing her doctoral research in Biomedical Engineering at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, focusing on improving the clinical applicability of Formacyte's technology. With a biology background, she has a deep interest in understanding and enhancing the biological mechanism of our device in treating diabetes.
Chen Yang
Nanyang Technological University
Dr. Chen Yang is an enthusiast in the development of innovative technology. His Ph.D. thesis focused on designing injection-free cellular therapy without requiring immunosuppressant for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, which has been incorporated into a filed PCT patent application. Furthermore, he led his team to win multiple entrepreneurship awards for commercialization of this technology. Currently he has continued his postdoctoral studies to expedite the translation of cellular therapy towards a clinically viable option. The main goal of this technology is to provide a safe, effective and long-term management of diabetes.
Nam Tran
Nanyang Technological University
Nam Tran is a Biomedical engineer with a passion for innovative healthcare solutions. He was named 1 of the 10 excellent Young Engineers and Scientists (Y-E-S) nationwide and received Vietnam Y-E-S Award from Honda in 2019. Now pursuing his Ph.D. at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Nam is researching novel cellular therapy for type 1 diabetes. One of his main focuses is devising manufacturing methods to scaling-up Formacyte's technology. Along with the team, Nam has participated in multiple entrepreneurial programs and won entrepreneurship awards for technology commercialization.
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