Semmelweis University (SU)

Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary has a more than 240 year old tradition of academic excellence and commitment to the education of physicians and is the only university in Hungary dedicated solely to health science studies from undergraduate to professional level. It is Hungary’s largest health-care institution and one of the most important education centres, with a reputation for practically orientated training of surgeons and doctors based on the latest results of scientific research. It offers an exciting mixture of courses and research opportunities closely linked to current health care practice. The University has 6 faculties (Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science, College of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Public Services), 27 clinics and currently it is educating 12,000 students. SU is one of Europe’s outstanding centers for research and innovation in biomedical sciences and related fields. The main SU research priorities cover the fields of cardiovascular and central nervous system disorders, oncology, autoimmunity and inflammation with a special emphasis on personalized and regenerative medicine. SU is engaged in several international networks of biomedicine and continuously developing the research infrastructure in core facilities, such as imaging and biobanking

Role within EXPERT

Provide in vitro and in vivo testing of the immune safety of nanoparticles produced by the partners (WP8). The in vitro tests will include measurements of complement activation by the tested drug candidates in human and animal sera, using ELISA kits for sC5b-9, Bb, C4d, C3a and/or C5a, the PAN-C3 assay, and FACS assays. CH50 assays will be employed to measure complement consumption in vitro. Depending on the composition of test agents, antibody formation against them will be measured in long-term (weeks) in vivo studies, using the structural elements of nanoparticles as antigens. Macrophage and spleen cell cultures will be exposed to test drugs to measure immune reactivity and immunogenicity in vitro, while the animal studies in pigs, rats and mice will evaluate CARPA, i.e., symptoms of hypersensitivity reactions. The latter tests will include hemodynamic, hematological, cardiopulmonary, skin and blood chemistry measurements. Buffy coat suspensions will be used to assess WBC stimulation with cytokine production, as part of hemocompatibility