LIT Scientists receive ScaleReady G-Rex® Grant

The grant will be used for advancing preclinical research projects focused on generating T stem cell memory (T_SCM) cells. T_SCM cells are a special type of T cells that help the human immune system remember past infections or diseases and quickly turn into active fighter cells when the body needs them. Several preclinical research projects at the LIT explore the potential of these cells in therapies to treat various diseases, utilizing them due to their proven superior antitumor efficacy in preclinical models and their ability to persist long-term in vivo.

The scientists plan to use a G-Rex® bioreactor. This bioreactor is a special device used to grow cells in the lab. Its unique design helps to produce large amounts of cells for research or medical purposes. The T_SCM cells grown and expanded in the bioreactor will be used in multiple LIT research projects.

The bioreactor’s innovative features – including single-step media addition and a gas-permeable membrane – enable consistent, undisturbed cell expansion without the need for forced media changes or oxygen circulation. Their use will enable the scientists to translate the small-scale methods developed in the lab to larger volumes without compromising cell quality or yield. As a result, the capacity for producing robust T_SCM cells will increase effectively, accelerating progress in immune cell therapy research. Additionally, this could streamline the current workflow at the LIT and reduce costs.

The grant has a duration of 18 months. During this time, the group led by Dr. Dr. Roland Schelker will generate preclinical data to improve and simplify existing manufacturing processes of T_SCM cells.

About Dr. Dr. Roland Schelker:

Roland Schelker received his M.D. from the University of Cluj-Napoca in 2009. Since 2009, he has been working as a Resident Physician (2009-2018) and as a Specialist Physician (2018-present) in Internal Medicine, Hematology, and Oncology at the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University Hospital Regensburg. During 2019-2021, he was a DFG-funded Visiting Research Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, USA), in the laboratories of Luca Gattinoni (Experimental Transplantation and Immunotherapy Branch; National Cancer Institute) and Warren Leonard (Laboratory of Molecular Immunology; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute). In 2021, Dr. Schelker joined the LIT Division of Functional Immune Cell Modulation as a Postdoctoral scientist. In 2025, he earned his second doctorate (PhD) with summa cum laude. His research interest focuses on the role of transcriptional co-regulators in CD8⁺ T cell stemness, memory formation, and antitumor immunity.

About Pedro Norhona:

Pedro Noronha received a B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in 2013. He joined the LIT Division of Functional Immune Cell Modulation in 2021 after working for two years as Research Technician at the ImmunoSurgery Lab at the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon. His interests rely on adoptive cell therapy, and on the optimization of autologous or allogenic immune cell therapy products by using engineering and biotechnology techniques.