Summer CREATIC Breakfast Highlighted Research Updates and New Possibilities for Patients Without a Diagnosis
The June CREATIC Breakfast once again bridged the gap between research and clinical practice, highlighting the Centre of Excellence's mission to bring modern medicine closer to patients. Through expert presentations on precision diagnostics, the "silent epidemic" of rare diseases, and advanced therapy manufacturing, the event highlighted how shared expertise is transforming individualized patient care.
In June, the Centre of Excellence CREATIC once again held its CREATIC Breakfast, a regular informal gathering that brings together colleagues from across the centre. More than a shared morning meeting, this format creates space for discussion, exchange of experience, and updates from different areas of CREATIC’s work. This time, the programme connected topics ranging from precision diagnostics and patient support to the development and manufacturing of advanced therapies.
The morning was opened by Prof. Jaroslav Štěrba, Head of the Department of Paediatric Oncology at University Hospital Brno and the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University. In his opening speech, he highlighted how the importance of CREATIC’s work is reflected in the real stories of patients encountered in clinical practice.
He was followed by a presentation by MUDr. Kateřina Slabá, who focused on ultra-rare diseases and patients without a diagnosis. Her talk guided participants through the topics of the so-called “silent epidemic”, the diagnostic odyssey, and the often complex journey patients and their families face on the way to diagnosis.
MUDr. Slabá also introduced the activities of the Centre for Precision Medicine, which connects advanced diagnostics, clinical expertise, and an individualised approach to patient care. In this context, she presented the BabyFox project, led by Prof. Ondřej Slabý, which helps shorten the path to diagnosis in children with suspected genetic diseases through rapid whole-genome sequencing. The lecture also highlighted the importance of support for families of children without a confirmed diagnosis or with an ultra-rare disease, including the role of the patient organisation Malý Odyseus, z. s.
The program continued with a presentation by Prof. Lenka Zdražilová Dubská, who introduced the products currently being developed at the CREATIC manufacturing facility, known as CREPROFA. This Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliant manufacturing center enables the integration of research, development and clinical production of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP).
Participants learned more about how these approaches are being translated into specific medicinal products. Examples included products based on mesenchymal cells as well as anti-cancer immunotherapy using dendritic cells. For the latter product, CREATIC obtained a hospital exemption earlier this spring, marking an important milestone on the path of advanced therapies towards patients.
The summer CREATIC Breakfast once again showed the value of bringing different perspectives together in an open and collegial atmosphere. From precision diagnostics and support for undiagnosed patients to the development and manufacturing of advanced therapies, the meeting highlighted how shared discussion can strengthen CREATIC’s mission to bring modern medicine closer to patients.
