Global HIV Vaccine Research Cryorepository

Invited seminar

Title: Global HIV Vaccine Research Cryorepository - GHRC

Speaker: Hagen von Briesen

Affiliation: Fraunhofer-Institute for Biomedical Engineering

Host: Paula Alves, Animal Cell Technology

Abstract

Background: The Global HIV Vaccine Research Cryorepository (GHRC), an international consortium coordinated by Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering (FhG-IBMT), is one of the Centralized Service Facilities of the Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery (CAVD). The CAVD is an international network of eighteen Vaccine Discovery Consortia (VDCs) and five Central Service Facilities (CSFs) funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to apply new technologies, concepts and approaches to the design of safe and effective preventive vaccines against HIV/AIDS. The goal of GHRC is to develop one of the most modern global HIV cryobanks.  

Methods: GHRC has established the first large-scale centralized biobank for low-temperature storage of HIV-1 related specimens and reagents. The consortium develops novel procedures for optimized sample processing, cryopreservation and storage of clinical specimens from regional centers, or for reagents generated elsewhere in the CAVD consortium. In addition, it provides training and capacity building for regional centers and technology transfer to the CAVD consortium.  

Results: Several prototypes of new cryosubstrates, prototypes of a freezer handling box and an access tower system for cryotanks have been produced and are under evaluation. The key element for the electronic cryotank infrastructure is a new rack system for long-term cryostorage. The ICT infrastructure consists of a central Cryobank Information and Specimen Administration System, the Specimen Preparation Workflow Management System ChameleonLab and the GHRC Web portal with an online registration of HIV specimens. Finally, the HSC has proved to be well suited for pseudotype virus stock production.  

Conclusion: Fraunhofer IBMT has established a state-of-the-art specimen repository where samples can be stored under controlled low-temperature conditions, for long-term preservation and for sharing among collaborating laboratories. The reagents generated as well as all new technology developed by this network will be made available for HIV/AIDS vaccine development throughout the whole Global HIV/AIDS Vaccine Enterprise.

Biography

PD Dr. H. v. Briesen studied biochemistry at the University of Frankfurt (PhD in 1990) and he was associate professor for Experimental Hematology at the University of Regensburg. He was Head of Laboratory for Molecular Cell and Tissue Engineering at the FhG-IBMT in St. Ingbert, Germany (2004-2008). Today, he is Head of Department for Cell Biology and Applied Virology at the FhG-IBMT and associate professor for Experimental Hematology at the University of Saarland (since 2008). The main research topics of his team are focused on cell biology, virology, and nanobiotechnology. PD Dr. Hagen von Briesen has many years of experience in research in HIV & experimental haematology as well as in developing diagnostics  and is presently coordinating the Global HIV Vaccine Research Cryoprepository GHRG, which is part of the Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery (CAVD) funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. His group is also involved in a European project on Parallel Detection of Pathogens in Blood (SPRing) and is AIDS core group expert for the European Network for Global Cooperation in the field of HIV & TB (EUCO-Net). He was and still is involved in several joint research projects in the field of cell programming by nanoscaled devices as well as drug delivery systems based on nanotechnologies which were and are funded by EU and BMBF (“CellProm”; “NanoDrug”; “NanoCancer”; “Functional systems on the basis of nanoparticles for the treatment of brain tumors: transport mechanisms and toxicity studies in cell culture”) as well as projects supported by the German Federal Armed Forces (“Development of nanoparticles as carrier systems across the blood-brain-barrier for antidotes against organoposphate poisoning”).

Short CV

NAME: Hagen von Briesen
POSITION TITLE: PhD, Head of department Cell Biology & Applied Virology, Fraunhofer-Institute for Biomedical Engineering (IBMT), St. Ingbert, Germany
EDUCATION:
1985 – Diploma Biology, University of Frankfurt, Germany
1986-1990 - PhD Biochemistry, University of Frankfurt, Germany
1990-1992 – Postdoc Virology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Frankfurt, Germany
2001-2008 – PD Experimental Hematology, University of Regensburg, Germany
2008 - PD Experimental Hematology, University of Saarland, Germany

Positions and Employment
1992-2004 Head of Laboratory for Cell Biology and Virology (tenured position); Chemotherapeutisches Forschungsinstitut, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt/M., Germany; Director of the P3-laboratory facility
1996-2000 Test facility management according OECD Principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) in a start-up company (Analysis GmbH) conducting virus validation studies
2004-2008 Group manager of Molecular Cell & Tissue Engineering; Fraunhofer IBMT
since 2008 Head of department Cell Biology & Applied Virology, Fraunhofer IBMT

Publications
1. Gorjup, E., Danner, S., Rotter, N., Habermann, J., Brassat, U., Brummendorf, T. H., Wien, S., Meyerhans, A., Wollenberg, B., Kruse, C., von Briesen, H., (2009): Glandular tissue from human pancreas and salivary gland yields similar stem cellpopulations. Eur. J. Cell Biol. (angenommen).
2. Zensi, A., Begley, D., Pontikis, C., Legros, C., Mihoreanu, L., Wagner, S., Büchel, C., von Briesen, H., Kreuter, J. 2009: Albumin nanoparticles targeted with ApoE enter the CNS by transcytosis and are delivered to neurones. J. Controlled Rel., (March 11, Epub ahead of print).
3. Anhorn M.G., Wagner S., Kreuter J., Langer K., von Briesen H. 2008: Specific targeting of HER2 over-expressing breast cancer cells with doxorubicin-loaded trastuzumab-modified human serum albumin nanoparticles. Bioconjug. Chem., 19:2321-31.
4. Dinauer N., Balthasar S., Weber C., Kreuter J., Langer K., von Briesen H. 2005: Selective targeting of antibody-conjugated nanoparticles to leukemic cells and primary T-lymphocytes. Biomaterials, 26:5898-906.
5. Balthasar, S.,  Michaelis, K., Dinauer, N., von Briesen, H., Kreuter, J., Langer, K. (2005): Preparation and characterisation of antibody modified gelatin nanoparticles as drug carrier system for uptake in lymphocytes. Biomaterials 26, 2723-2732.
6. Dinauer, N., Balthasar, S., Weber, C., Kreuter, J.,  Langer, K., von Briesen, H. (2005): Selective targeting of antibody-conjugated nanoparticles to leukemic cells and primary T-lymphocytes. Biomaterials 26, 5898-5906.
7. Lochmann, D., Vogel, V., Weyermann, J., Dinauer, N., von Briesen, H., Kreuter, J., Schubert, D., Zimmer, A. (2004): Physicochemical characterisation of protamine-phosphorothioate nanoparticles J. Microencapsulation 21, 625-641.
8. Dinauer N., Lochmann D., Demirhan I., Bouazzaoui A., Zimmer A., Chandra A., Kreuter J., von Briesen H. 2004: Intracellular tracking of protamine/antisense oligonucleotide nanoparticles and their inhibitory effect on HIV-1 transactivation. J. Control. Release, 96:497-507.
9. Langer, K., Balthasar, S., Vogel, V., Dinauer, N., von Briesen, H., Schubert, D. (2003): Optimization of the preparation process for human serum albumin (HSA) nanoparticles. Int. J. Pharm. 257, 169-180.
10. Rhaese, S., von Briesen, H., Rübsamen-Waigmann, H., Kreuter, J., Langer, K. (2003): Human serum albumin-polyethylenimine nanoparticles for gene delivery. J. Control. Rel. 92, 199-208.
11. Zenker, D., Begley, D., Bratzke, H., Rübsamen-Waigmann, H., von Briesen, H. (2003): Human blood-derived macrophages enhance barrier function of cultured primary bovine and human brain capillary endothelial cells. J. Physiol. 551.3, 1023-1032.
12. Kreuter J., Ramge P., Petrov V., Hamm S., Gelperina S.E., Engelhardt B., Alyautdin R., von Briesen H., Begley D.J. 2003: Direct evidence that polysorbate-80-coated poly(butylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles deliver drugs to the CNS via specific mechanisms requiring prior binding of drug to the nanoparticles. Pharm. Res., 20:409-16.
13. Unger, R. E., Oltrogge, J. B., von Briesen, H., Engelhardt, B., Woelki, U., Schlote, W., Lorenz, R., Bratzke, H., Kirkpatrick, J. (2002): Isolation and molecular characterization of brain microvascular endothelial cells from human brain tumors. In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biol 38, 273–281.