InSphero strengthens Scientific Advisory Board for liver diseases

InSphero AG, the pioneer in 3D cell-based assay and organ-on-chip technology, today announced the strengthening of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) with the appointment of Professor Nikolai Naoumov, MD PhD.

“We are pleased to welcome this distinguished researcher to our SAB,” says InSphero VP Francisco Verdeguer, PhD. “Nikolai’s diverse expertise in liver diseases will provide invaluable insight as we continuously advance our tailored drug development efforts at the forefront of preclinical NASH research.  Visionary science has always been a driving force for InSphero’s advanced and screenable spheroid models in drug discovery and safety. Nikolai will not only guide us, but also serve as a sounding board to challenge us and bring added value to our collaborative research partnerships with leading pharma and biotech organizations.”

Prof. Naoumov is a is distinguished physician-scientist, with a professional career spanning academia, clinical care and drug development. He is Fellow of both the Royal College of Physicians (London) and the Royal College of Pathologists (UK). His research has integrated immunology, molecular biology and translational medicine in elucidating virus-host interactions and mechanisms of liver injury. Nikolai has led research teams at the Medical Academy Sofia, King’s College Institute of Liver Studies in London and subsequently as Professor of Hepatology at University College London. Most recently, Prof. Naoumov expanded his contributions to medical science and clinical hepatology as Global Head, Therapeutic Area Hepatology and Transplantation at Novartis. In parallel, he continued contributing to liver research and education as Honorary Professor of Hepatology at UCL, Scientific Advisor to the Foundation for Liver Research in the UK and a board member of the Liver Foundation in Switzerland.

Professor Naoumov says, “NASH is a complex disease with pathobiology involving multiple pathways and heterogenous patient population. The pathogenesis of NASH is not fully understood, and no therapies have yet been approved. In part, this is due to a lack of reliable and predictive preclinical models. I am excited for the opportunity to guide the NASH model development with an innovative company such as InSphero.”