Mark Kotter: Difference between revisions

| workplaces = [[University of Cambridge]], [[bit.bio]], clock.bio, [[Myelopathy.org]], [[Meatable]]

| alma_mater = [[University of Graz]], [[University of Cambridge]]

| website = https://www.stemcellslinkedin.cam.ac.ukcom/peoplein/affiliatesmark-kotter/kotter

[https://www.stemcells.cam.ac.uk/people/affiliates/kotter Kotter] made contributions to the importance of [[macrophages]] for brain [[Regeneration (biology)|regeneration]],<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Macrophage depletion impairs oligodendrocyte remyelination following lysolecithin-induced demyelination |date=2001 |doi=10.1002/glia.1085 |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/glia.1085 |last1=Kotter |first1=Mark R. |last2=Setzu |first2=Anna |last3=Sim |first3=Fraser J. |last4=Van Rooijen |first4=Nico |last5=Franklin |first5=Robin J.M. |journal=Glia |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=204–212 |pmid=11494411}}</ref> His work on cell programming includes the development of opti-ox (optimized inducible overexpression).<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ddw-online.com/bit-bio-secures-foundational-us-patent-for-opti-ox-25072-202308/|title=bit.bio secures foundational US patent for opti-ox|first=Diana|last=Spencer|date=August 1, 2023|website=Drug Discovery World (DDW)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Forbes Meet The Company Democratizing Access To Human Cells |website=[[Forbes]] |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/johncumbers/2023/06/01/meet-the-company-democratizing-access-to-human-cells/}}</ref> It has become the [[Scientific method|scientific]] basis of [[bit.bio]], and [[Meatable]], which he co-founded. Kotter's scientific contributions to the field of Degenerativedegenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) range from the1the [[diagnosis]] to the aetiology, [[pathophysiology]], and treatment of DCM.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2L01hPO-n_sC&hl=en&oi=ao|title=Mark Kotter|website=scholar.google.com}}</ref>

Kotter is the founder and CEO of cell coding company bit.bio,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bit.bio/|title=Synthetic Biology for Human Health &#124; Cells Reprogrammed &#124; bit.bio|website=www.bit.bio}}</ref> which is devoted to "democratising [[human cells]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Elpis BioMed: Mastering the art of reprogramming human cells |date=July 19, 2019 |url=https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/business/elpis-biomed-mastering-the-art-of-reprogramming-human-cells-9077090/}}</ref> and [[cell therapy]]. Additionally, he co-founded [[Meatable]], a company focused on [[cultured meat]] production, and is the scientific founder of Clockclock.bio, a [[rejuvenation]] company. He also co-founded [[Myelopathy]].org]], a charity supporting individuals with Degenerativedegenerative cervical myelopathy.<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://myelopathy.org/|title=Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM)|website=MYELOPATHY.ORG}}</ref>

Kotter was among the first to recognise the role of [[macrophages]] in brain [[Regeneration (biology)|regeneration]], a discovery that led to the first [[regenerative medicine]] trial for Degenerative cervical myelopathy.<ref name="auto1">https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/muscle-bone-and-joints/conditions/degenerative-cervical-myelopathy/</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=Macrophage depletion impairs oligodendrocyte remyelination following lysolecithin-induced demyelination |date=2001 |doi=10.1002/glia.1085 |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/glia.1085 |last1=Kotter |first1=Mark R. |last2=Setzu |first2=Anna |last3=Sim |first3=Fraser J. |last4=Van Rooijen |first4=Nico |last5=Franklin |first5=Robin J.M. |journal=Glia |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=204–212 |pmid=11494411}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=Macrophage-depletion induced impairment of experimental CNS remyelination is associated with a reduced oligodendrocyte progenitor cell response and altered growth factor expression |date=2005 |doi=10.1016/j.nbd.2004.09.019 |pmid=15649707 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0969996104002244 |last1=Kotter |first1=M. R. |last2=Zhao |first2=C. |last3=Van Rooijen |first3=N. |last4=Franklin |first4=R. J. |journal=Neurobiology of Disease |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=166–175}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=Myelin Impairs CNS Remyelination by Inhibiting Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cell Differentiation |date=2006 |pmid=16399703 |url=https://www.jneurosci.org/content/26/1/328 |last1=Kotter |first1=M. R. |last2=Li |first2=W. W. |last3=Zhao |first3=C. |last4=Franklin |first4=R. J. |journal=The Journal of Neuroscience : The Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience |volume=26 |issue=1 |pages=328–332 |doi=10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2615-05.2006 |pmc=6674302}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/132/2/465/377710|title=Myelin-mediated inhibition of oligodendrocyte precursor differentiation can be overcome by pharmacological modulation of Fyn-RhoA and protein kinase C signalling}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=Antibody-mediated neutralization of myelin-associated EphrinB3 accelerates CNS remyelination |date=2016 |doi=10.1007/s00401-015-1521-1 |last1=Syed |first1=Yasir A. |last2=Zhao |first2=Chao |last3=Mahad |first3=Don |last4=Möbius |first4=Wiebke |last5=Altmann |first5=Friedrich |last6=Foss |first6=Franziska |last7=Sentürk |first7=Aycan |last8=Acker-Palmer |first8=Amparo |last9=Lubec |first9=Gert |last10=Lilley |first10=Kathryn |last11=Franklin |first11=Robin J. M. |last12=Nave |first12=Klaus-A. |last13=Kotter |first13=Mark R. N. |author14=Kotter MRN |journal=Acta Neuropathologica |volume=131 |issue=2 |pages=281–298 |pmid=26687980 |pmc=4713754}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=Targeting patient recovery priorities in degenerative cervical myelopathy: design and rationale for the RECEDE-Myelopathy trial-study protocol |date=2023 |pmid=36882259 |last1=Davies |first1=B. |last2=Mowforth |first2=O. D. |last3=Yordanov |first3=S. |last4=Alvarez-Berdugo |first4=D. |last5=Bond |first5=S. |last6=Nodale |first6=M. |last7=Kareclas |first7=P. |last8=Whitehead |first8=L. |last9=Bishop |first9=J. |last10=Chandran |first10=S. |last11=Lamb |first11=S. |last12=Bacon |first12=M. |last13=Papadopoulos |first13=M. C. |last14=Starkey |first14=M. |last15=Sadler |first15=I. |last16=Smith |first16=L. |last17=Kalsi-Ryan |first17=S. |last18=Carpenter |first18=A. |last19=Trivedi |first19=R. A. |last20=Wilby |first20=M. |last21=Choi |first21=D. |last22=Wilkinson |first22=I. B. |last23=Fehlings |first23=M. G. |last24=Hutchinson |first24=P. J. |author25=Kotter MRN |journal=BMJ Open |volume=13 |issue=3 |pages=e061294 |doi=10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061294 |pmc=10008337}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Regeneration in Cervical Degenerative Myelopathy (RECEDE) |date=December 24, 2021 |url=https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04631471 |last1=Kotter |first1=Mark R.}}</ref>

Over the past decade, he has developed opti-ox,<ref name="auto3">{{Cite journal |title=Inducible and Deterministic Forward Programming of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Neurons, Skeletal Myocytes, and Oligodendrocytes |date=2017 |pmc=5390118 |last1=Pawlowski |first1=M. |last2=Ortmann |first2=D. |last3=Bertero |first3=A. |last4=Tavares |first4=J. M. |last5=Pedersen |first5=R. A. |last6=Vallier |first6=L. |last7=Kotter |first7=M. R. |journal=Stem Cell Reports |volume=8 |issue=4 |pages=803–812 |doi=10.1016/j.stemcr.2017.02.016 |pmid=28344001}}</ref> a [[gene targeting]] approach that enables the faithful execution of [[genetic information]] in [[Cell (biology)|cells]]. His discoveries refute the theory that [[stochastically]] [[determined]] permissive states are required for [[cellular reprogramming]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2018096343A1/en|title=Controllable transcription}}</ref> and have opened up the possibility of producing any [[human cell]], within days, at purities approaching 100%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Introducing bit bio — coding cells, the building blocks of life |date=October 15, 2019 |url=https://medium.com/@mark.kotter_23686/introducing-bit-bio-coding-cells-the-building-blocks-of-life-47f9404f9cc8}}</ref> Inspired by Marius Wernig<ref name="auto5">{{Cite web|url=https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/marius-wernig|title=Marius Wernig &#124; Stanford Medicine|website=CAP Profiles}}</ref>'s<ref name="auto5"/> and [[Thomas Südhof]]'s work, he focussed on applying a [[synthetic biology]] <ref>{{Cite news |title=Synthetic Biology Matures, Promising Affordable And Personalized Treatments |url=https://invivo.citeline.com/IV154611/Synthetic-Biology-Matures-Promising-Affordable-And-Personalized-Treatments}}</ref> approach and developed a protocol for [[reprogramming]] pluripotent [[stem cells]] into [[oligodendrocytes]].<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Direct conversion of fibroblasts to functional neurons by defined factors |date=2010 |doi=10.1038/nature08797 |last1=Vierbuchen |first1=Thomas |last2=Ostermeier |first2=Austin |last3=Pang |first3=Zhiping P. |last4=Kokubu |first4=Yuko |last5=Südhof |first5=Thomas C. |last6=Wernig |first6=Marius |journal=Nature |volume=463 |issue=7284 |pages=1035–1041 |pmid=20107439 |pmc=2829121 |bibcode=2010Natur.463.1035V}}</ref> In 2012, he succeeded in creating a batch of [[oligodendrocytes]]. He and his colleagues ultimately found a way to [[circumvent]] the [[gene silencing]], by introducing the [[Genetics|genetic]] instructions into "safe harbors" in the [[genome]].<ref name="auto3"/> Their patented technique is known as opti-ox,<ref name="auto2"/> which stands for "optimised inducible over-expression<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/johncumbers/2023/06/01/meet-the-company-democratizing-access-to-human-cells/|title=Meet The Company Democratizing Access To Human Cells|first=John|last=Cumbers|website=Forbes}}</ref>".

In 2016, Kotter founded it as Elpis Biomed, the company's name later changed to bit.bio to give a clearer indication of its function in cell coding: "bit" refers to the smallest building block in coding, while "bio" refers to the live cells that are being reprogrammed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies|title=Proactive - Proactive financial news: fast, accessible, and actionable articles and videos for the global investment audience. - Companies|website=Proactiveinvestors UK}}</ref> bit.bio leverages the opti-ox technology to [https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429835327/en/Nobel-Laureate-Thomas-S%C3%BCdhof-and-bit.bio-CEO-Mark-Kotter-to-Lead-Fireside-Chat-on-Programming-Human-Cells-at-SynBioBeta program] human cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cambridge Independent: Elpis BioMed: Mastering the art of reprogramming human cells |date=July 19, 2019 |url=https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/business/elpis-biomed-mastering-the-art-of-reprogramming-human-cells-9077090/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Innovations in Pharmaceutical Technology (IPT) Coding of Cell Identity |url=https://www.iptonline.com/collections/innovations-in-pharmaceutical-technology-spring-2023/coding-of-cell-identity}}</ref> The company aims to transition [[biology]] into engineering,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Forbes Meet The Company Reprogramming The Future Of Synthetic Biology | website=[[Forbes]] |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/johncumbers/2021/04/14/meet-the-company-reprogramming-the-future-of-synthetic-biology/?sh=4aabaae330cb}}</ref> addressing significant medical needs.<ref>{{Cite news |title=European Biotechnology feature: Biology as Software |url=https://14527135.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/14527135/Comms/EB124_Spring_gesamt.pdf#page=52}}</ref> Notable [[board members]] include [[Hermann Hauser]] and [[Gregory Winter|Sir Gregory Winter]], with Dr. Roger Pedersen<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cardiovascular.cam.ac.uk/directory/rpedersen|title=Professor Roger Pedersen|first=Professor Roger|last=Pedersen|date=May 7, 2014|website=www.cardiovascular.cam.ac.uk}}</ref> serving as the chief scientific advisor. In 2023, bit.bio partnered with BlueRock Therapeutics,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bluerocktx.com/|title=Home|date=May 30, 2024|website=BlueRock Therapeutics LP}}</ref> a [[Bayer]] subsidiary, to develop [[regulatory T cell]] [[Cell therapy|therapies]].

In 2015, Kotter co-founded [[Myelopathy.org]]<ref name="auto4"/> with neurosurgeon Ben Davies<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benjamin-Davies-11#:~:text=About&text=Benjamin%20Marshall%20Davies%20currently%20works,in%20particular%20Degenerative%20Cervical%20Myelopathy.</ref> and patient Iwan Sadler.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://myelopathy.org/interview-with-iwan-sadler/|title=Interview with Iwan Sadler|first=Iwan|last=Sadler|date=October 24, 2022}}</ref> The charity is dedicated to supporting individuals with Degenerative cervical myelopathy<ref name="auto1"/> by enhancing patient advocacy and clinical practices. Myelopathy.org received the Points of Light Award from the British Prime Minister in February 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pointsoflight.gov.uk/myelopathy/|title=Myelopathy|first=Jake|last=McBride|date=February 26, 2020|website=Points of Light}}</ref> Dr. Kotter is also a member of the AOSpine Knowledge Forum Spinal Cord Injury<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aofoundation.org/spine/research/research-programs/knowledge-forum-spinal-cord-injury|title=AO Spine Knowledge Forum Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)|website=www.aofoundation.org}}</ref> and leads several international initiatives, including the [https://neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/member/mrk25/ RECODE-DCM] project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aofoundation.org/spine/research/recode-dcm|title=AO Spine RECODE-DCM|website=www.aofoundation.org}}</ref>

* {{official website|https://mark-kotter.medium.com/}}

[[Category:FoundersAlumni of the University of Cambridge]]

[[Category:SyntheticUniversity biologyof Graz alumni]]

[[Category:MedicineAcademics from Calgary]]