Designing Next Gen Biomaterials: Peptide Hydrogels in 3D Culture & Regenerative Platforms
Join us for an exclusive thought leadership interview with Aline Miller, Professor of Biomolecular Engineering, Associate Dean for Business Engagement & Innovation, and Chief Scientific Officer of Unit M at the University of Manchester. Hear her insights into how peptide-based hydrogels are transforming 3D cell culture and regenerative medicine. Then, listen to a leading panel of experts from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Nestle and the European University of Cyprus uncover the challenges of animal-free innovation in organoids & 3D cell culture.
AGENDA OVERVIEW
1.30pm Thought Leader Interview with Aline Miller
2.00pm Panel Discussion: Advancing Drug Discovery: Animal-Free Innovation in Organoids & 3D Cell Culture
- Redefining the Matrix: Replacing animal-derived scaffolds with synthetic, peptide-based hydrogels for reproducible, ethical organoid culture.
- From Serum to Standards: Transitioning to chemically defined, xeno-free reagents to enhance translational relevance and regulatory compliance.
- Towards Scalable Biology: Enabling industrialisation of organoid systems through animal-free 3D bio fabrication and quality-controlled workflows
Biography:
Aline Miller is Professor of Biomolecular Engineering, Chief Scientific Officer of Unit M and Associate Dean for Business Engagement and Innovation within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Manchester. Her research investigates the self-assembly of peptides, proteins, and polymers, from molecular structure through to functional materials, for applications in regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and tissue engineering.
PANELLISTS
- Maryna Panamarova, Cellular Modelling Specialist, Cellular Operations, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus
- Andy Wiranata Wijaya, BioProcess Development Lead, Nestle
- Vasiliki Kalodimou, Assistant Professor Dr/Director, Flow Cytometry-Research & Regenerative Medicine, EUC Frankfurt Branch