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Last update 29/08/2024

HELPATHON # 11 - Gene Therapy: Unlock New Frontiers in Human Health!

Can you help Francesca and Terry at the Animal Free Innovation TPI-Helpathon on Gene Therapy?

We invite you to join our cutting edge Helpathon on gene therapy on October 9th and 10th. This field opens up a whole new range of really exciting innovative human health diagnosis and therapy possibilities!

We are calling for both specialists (clinicians, biomedical researchers, policy makers, innovation managers, DEC members, funders) and general members of the public to explore in a safe place the possibilities of animal free innovation in this up and coming health research area. We invite you to address hands on questions regarding risk and ethics… and explore if and where animal models can be avoided all together in this field of personalized medicine.

Please take a look at the short movies below.

If you want to take the conversation on gene therapies further please join this 11th TPI-Helpathon on Wednesday 9th of October 12h00 until 21h00 and Thursday 10th of October 8h30 until 12h00 at the 0|2 Lab Building in Amsterdam.

See you there!

Pepik and Sue,
on behalf of Francesca, Terry and the Helpathon Hotel Team

Can you help Francesca develop gene therapy for curing inherited cardiomyopathies without the use of animal models?

Francesca Stillitano is a highly motivated pioneering geneticist. As an Assistant Professor at the Department of Cardiology at University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht she works on the development of a therapy for a rare hereditary heart disease: Cardiomyopathy PhospholambanMutation or PLN. A mutation on the PLN gene causes faulty production of certain proteins. This can have an effect on the functioning of the heart muscle. When this effect occurs, symptoms such as cardiac arrhythmias, chest pain and shortness of breath may occur. All people with this mutation have one common ancestor, originating in the northern Netherlands. Francesca is working with mice models and with human tissue based in vitro models to develop and test new gene therapies.

Can you help Terry sketch out scenarios for responsible development for gene therapy for Alzheimer disease in terms of benefits, risks, budgets and animal models?

Terry Vrijenhoek explores the societal impact of gene therapy. The past years he helped many others calling for help during a Helpathon, now he is calling for help himself. He has a very personal question with potentially a large societal impact. He is a geneticist and a member of the animal experimentation committee (DEC) at the UMC Utrecht. Recently he discovered from his DNA read out that he is very likely going to have Alzheimers. There is currently no cure for this disease but there is a promising RNA based therapy in the pipeline. Its development is very costly and involves a lot of animal tests. Terry wants to live a few years longer. Through this intense personal example Terry wants to explore how gene therapy research can be performed responsibly and sustainably and maybe even preventing onset of disease.

Practical information

Sign up options (all times are CEST)

✅ Join the Core Helpathon Team (in-person)
Wednesday 9 October: 12h00-21h00 and
Thursday 10 October: 08h30-12h00
Venue: 0|2 Lab Building, De Boelelaan 1108, Amsterdam

✅ Join the Online Helpathon Team (online)
Wednesday 9 October: 13h00-17h00 and
Thursday 10 October: 08h30-12h00
(the participation link will be provided a week before the event)

✅ Join the final presentation (in-person)
Thursday 10 October: 11h00-12h00
Venue: 0|2 Lab Building, De Boelelaan 1108, Amsterdam

✅ Join the final presentation (online)
Thursday 10 October: 11h00-12h00
(the participation link will be provided a week before the event)

Costs
There is NO fee involved associated with any of the participation options. Only an investment in time, knowledge and commitment. After registration, we naturally count on your participation. This Helpathon is sponsored by the Dutch TPI program.

For whom?
This Helpathon is for everyone with an interest in animal-free research. Whether your background is in medicine, veterinary medicine, life sciences, toxicology, pharmacy, or another related field, we need your help and welcome your participation. We are looking for both specialists — including clinicians, biomedical researchers, policymakers, innovation managers, DEC members, and funders — and enthusiastic members of the public who are eager to help the team of Francesca, Coen* and Terry!

Sharing this information with your network?
Please do so! It is also very helpful if you could distribute this information - if applicable - within your professional network!

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Send an email to: info@helpathonhotel.org if you want to be informed or invited for the next Helpathon.