The Faculty of Medicine’s GITTC provides research, academic, and outreach services. It is an advanced therapy and health biotechnology center which reflects values such as respect, social, environmental, and economic responsibility, ethics, leadership, transparency, confidentiality, honesty, mysticism, teamwork, trust, security, reliability, excellence in providing services, credibility, and coherence of thought, speech, and action. Our work is based on innovation, creativity, the transference of results to society, maintaining tight relationships with our public and private allies, collaboration and interdisciplinarity with the various participants in the science, technology, and innovation ecosystem, and the dissemination and appropriation of knowledge.
Our challenges center around increasing the uptake of vascular tissues and thus their distribution in the whole country and, if possible, in Latin America. We also focus on distributing our trademarked facial rejuvenation product (Fibroskin®) and developing new products for advanced therapies to guarantee the group’s sustainability. In addition, we seek to contribute to the consolidation of the country's science, technology, and innovation system through the training programs we offer at all levels.
IPS Universitaria, Universidad de Antioquia Health Services.
University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Biomedical Engineering.
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Immunobiology Group.
Universidad de Chile, Network for Advanced Scientific Equipment, Faculty of Medicine.
Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá campus, Tissue Engineering Work Group, Faculty of Pharmacy.
District Institute of Science, Biotechnology and Innovation in Health, Bogotá.
Foscal Clinic, Advanced therapies unit.
Karolinska Institutet, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health.
IMDEA Institute, Madrid.
Parque Explora.
Highlighted Projects
Production and validation of three-dimensional (3D) human organotypic skin models for in vitro evaluation of irritant or corrosive substances.
Genetic modification of human keratinocytes and fibroblasts with a non-viral vector to enhance the expression of the antimicrobial peptide hCAP18/LL-37.
Development and implementation of a program for human artery uptake from deceased donors in the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, as an alternative for increasing the tissue’s availability in the country.
Regional biobank of Antioquia. Optimization of the uptake and enhancement of anatomical components: an accessible alternative.
Key Research Findings
Laboratory certification from INVIMA in the 5108 norm for Tissue and bone marrow Our laboratory fulfills all current legal requirements and has maintained its accreditation since 2013, with the certification being renewed every three years. This certification has allowed us to uptake, process, cryopreserve, and distribute arteries and veins from donors and use them as part of a strategy for rescuing limbs.
Student training:
Our group is committed to training undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. We have also introduced high school students to science through our participation in the Science, Technology and Innovation (CT+I) Fairs Program organized by Parque Explora, the Medellín municipality, and EPM since 2011, as well as our participation since 2016 in the Ciencia a la mano Program, also with Parque Explora.
Some publications:
Thermosensitive behavior in cell culture media and cytocompatibility of a novel copolymer: poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-butylacrylate). DOI: 10.1007/s10856-013-4861-1
Probing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-butylacrylate)/cell interactions by atomic force microscopy. DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.35163
Evaluation of fibrin-based dermal-epidermal organotypic cultures for in vitro skin corrosion and irritation testing of chemicals according to OECD TG 431 and 439. DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2016.07.010.
Dermo-epidermal organotypic cultures for in vitro evaluation of skin irritation and corrosion. DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2019.104657
Services and/or Products Portfolio
Our services are focused on delivering human tissues (arteries and veins) for therapeutic purposes, based on our INVIMA certification as a tissue bank. An example is the commercialization of the Fibroskin® facial rejuvenation product.
Ocasionally, we provide services for evaluating products and materials biocompatibiliy for medical or research purposes.
We produce skin equivalents for evaluating the irritant or corrosive potential of chemical substances, beauty products, detergents, etc.
We have a primary cell and cellular line bank, which we usually share with various research groups in both the city and the country. We are studying the possibility of charging for this service since, as of now, we have offered the cells free of charge to various research groups.
We provide advice on the audit and implementation of tissue banks as per national regulations and consultancy services on advanced therapies, mainly to local companies.
