Clara Steichen

Clara Steichen is a researcher and medical biologist at the University Hospital of Poitiers, currently affiliated with the IRMETIST laboratory (INSERM U1313/University).

IRMETIST is recognised as a leading team specialising in ischaemia-reperfusion injury in solid organ transplantation, particularly kidney and liver transplantation. The laboratory is directed by Prof. Luc Pellerin. The laboratory has advanced expertise in ex vivo and in vivo models involving rodents and preclinical models. IRMETIST continues the legacy of the former IRTOMIT laboratory, which was previously headed by Prof. Thierry Hauet, whose contributions to ischaemia-reperfusion research are well known.

Clara Steichen brings a distinctive and highly relevant background to the field, underpinned by a dual scientific and medical education. With 15 years’ experience in bioengineering, cell therapy, and regenerative medicine, she specialises in applying innovative stem cell expertise to the critical clinical theme of organ transplantation. She has expertise in a wide range of cellular tools, including adult and pluripotent stem cells. She has worked extensively on iPSC reprogramming and differentiation into various cell types, including hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, cardiomyocytes, and renal organoids. This deep mastery of innovative tools enables the development of original and promising therapies, as well as relevant and predictive human models.

After obtaining a degree in Biotechnology Engineering, she completed her PhD in 2014 at INSERM U972 in Villejuif under the supervision of Dr Anne Dubart-Kupperschmitt, working on cellular therapy for haemophilia B using iPSC-derived hepatocytes that had been genetically modified using CRISPR/Cas9. She then took up a postdoctoral position at the University of São Paulo, working on UPC (urine progenitor cells) reprogramming and differentiation, as well as on porcine iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) differentiated into cardiomyocytes for use in a porcine model of cardiac infarction.

Since her arrival in Poitiers in 2017, her specific goal has been to use her expertise in stem cells to improve our understanding of, and ultimately control, ischaemic reperfusion lesions. Her current research is structured around two major objectives:

1. Developing relevant human cellular models. The researcher is focused on developing new models to decipher ischaemia-reperfusion mechanisms using induced pluripotent stem cell-derived kidney organoids. This model of human kidney organoids, derived from induced pluripotent stem cells, is used both within the laboratory and in external collaborations.
2. Translational cell therapy approach: A second major objective is to implement stem cell potential for organ conditioning. This includes developing a cell therapy approach based on extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from urine progenitor cells. This cell-free approach is specifically designed for ex vivo conditioning of porcine kidneys during machine perfusion preservation, and promising results concerning the approach’s feasibility, safety, and efficacy have been achieved. The researcher is committed to continuing to develop research in this area, with the specific aim of testing the developed cell therapy strategy in other preclinical models and progressing towards understanding the mechanism of action of cell therapy.

Clara Steichen maintains strong French and European collaborations with leading researchers in regenerative medicine who are recognised experts in their field. This professional engagement includes involvement in the COPE (Consortium for Organ Preservation in Europe). She has published 28 articles, given several invited and oral presentations at national and international conferences, and secured her own fellowship with national and international collaborators.

Furthermore, Clara Steichen is strongly committed to public communication and engages in activities such as YouTube conferences and popularisation projects, as well as exploring the interplay between science and art.