ARTiMIS: Alliance for RNA Therapies for the Modulation of the Immune System
Moderna Therapeutics has developed strategies to specifically modulate protein expression through the use of targeted nanoparticles and engineered mRNA. The company's proprietary nanoparticle formulations allow high-efficiency transfection of cells derived from multiple species, both in vitro and in vivo, while their synthetic mRNA design tools can be used to modulate production of a wide array of proteins to alter cell growth, behavior, immune recognition, and more. Moderna's technology platform shows enormous potential both as a research tool and as a strategy to develop innovative drugs for the treatment and prevention of a variety of human diseases.
ARTiMIS is an alliance between Harvard Medical School investigators and Moderna that offers opportunities to spur new research projects in laboratories across HMS. The services provided by ARTiMIS will establish a versatile new research platform at HMS, advance understanding of fundamental immunological processes, generate new mechanistic insights in the pathogenesis of immunological diseases, and support the development of entirely new medicines for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.
The goals of ARTiMIS are:
- To provide essential know-how and resources to Harvard Medical School investigators to conduct research in immunology using Moderna’s platforms for selective control of protein expression;
- To provide access to formulated mRNA to express specific proteins in immune cells in vitro and in vivo;
- To accelerate the usage of this new platform via research awards;
- To support the next generation of immunologists through fellowships to postdoctoral researchers
Program Director: Uli von Andrian, M.D.
Professor, Harvard Medical School Department of Immunology
Moderna Liaison: Michelle Smith, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Preclinical Strategy and Business Development, Moderna Therapeutics
For additional information, please contact artimis@hms.harvard.edu