Scientific Advisory Board
Ekaterine Berishvili
Prof. Ekaterine Berishvili completed her medical studies in Tbilisi, Georgia, earning a medical degree in 1999, a PhD in Science in 2003, and completing general surgery training in 2005. She was appointed Associate Professor at Tbilisi Medical AV短视频 in 2008. Through international collaborations — notably with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York) and the Diabetes Research Institute (Miami) — she established her own laboratory focused on pancreatic bioengineering and cell therapy for type 1 diabetes. She also served as Director of Clinical Research and Head of the Cell Isolation and Transplantation Unit in the Department of Cell Technologies and Therapies.
In 2014, she joined the Faculty of Medicine at the AV短视频 (UNIGE). Since 2020, she has led the Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Organ Regeneration in the Department of Surgery, and in 2023, became Technical Director of the Islet Isolation and Transplantation Laboratory at the Geneva AV短视频 Hospitals (HUG) — the only dedicated laboratory of its kind in Switzerland. She was nominated Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery in 2025.
Her research is supported by Horizon 2020 (H2020), the T1D Breakthrough Consortium, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), and other competitive national and international grants. She actively contributes to scientific societies, serving on the scientific committee of the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study, the islet–pancreas working group of Swisstransplant, and as Secretary of the European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT).
Research Aims
Cell-Based Therapies for Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes results from the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells. Although islet transplantation holds promise, major challenges—such as early inflammatory loss, poor vascularization, and the absence of a native pancreatic environment—limit its long-term outcomes. Our laboratory develops innovative strategies to overcome these barriers through a multidisciplinary approach combining stem cell biology, bioengineering, and immunomodulation.
We focus on generating insulin-producing cells from human pluripotent stem cells and creating 3D islet-like organoids that mimic native pancreatic structures. To support their survival and function, we engineer bioactive scaffolds derived from fetal matrices and apply decellularization techniques to preserve the essential architecture of the extracellular matrix.
Recognizing that vascularization is critical, we integrate human endothelial cells into our scaffolds, promoting the rapid formation of functional microvascular networks that connect with the host vasculature. We also explore how endothelial-stem cell interactions can further enhance graft integration and performance.
To protect transplanted cells from immune rejection, we embed immune-modulating molecules into scaffolds and develop immune cloaking strategies, aiming to induce local immune tolerance without systemic immunosuppression.
Through these integrated approaches—cell replacement, bioengineered scaffolds, vascularization, and immune modulation—we strive to develop a sustainable and curative therapy for Type 1 diabetes.