Riga Tawo

Background

About Riga Tawo

Dedicated scientist with expert knowledge in human pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), T cell biology, protein degradation & nephrology. More than 15 years hands-on laboratory experience in different research areas from drug discovery to cell therapy in academia and industry shaped a deep scientific understanding of how molecular processes are interconnected and a broad and unique toolbox of molecular methods. Experienced line manager & team lead. Strategic thinker and creative mind. • More than 15 years of experience in mammalian cell culture, cell line engineering, gene editing • More than 9 years of experience in signal transduction, proteostasis and protein degradation • More than 5 years of expertise of induced pluripotent stem cell biology. Experienced in differentiating iPSCs (2D & 3D) into proximal tubular cells (PTCs), kidney organoids, hemogenic endothelium, T cells, neurons & astrocytes. • More than 3 years of experience as line manager and team leader. • More than 2 years of experience in generating allogeneic off-the-shelf iPSC-derived T cells for cell therapy purposes in immuno-oncology. In vitro Scientist by Conviction! Driven by Curiosity, fascinated of Life! Biology has always appealed to me from very little on when I was still a child. How can something as little as an egg cell become a whole functional human being? It was rather inevitable that I ended up studying biology, focusing on developmental genetics. The more I studied, the more I realized how overwhelmingly complex and beautiful life is. I was hooked, but at the same time I started to question the use of animal models more and more. I know as a scientist that animal models are yet indispensable, but I realized that it was common to use them for almost every scientific question which I deemed rather unnecessary. Animal studies have become inflationary and a necessity for publication. With the rise of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies this is no longer true. The express train of new in vitro models is racing towards replacing animal models for many scientific questions and has revolutionized cell therapy, personalized & regenerative medicines. The FDA ban of animal studies for cosmetics is a starting signal. Novel technologies like stem cell-derived 3D organoids show that we are capable of coming up with alternative solutions. And even though they are still at an early stage, I am convinced that now is the time to rethink our scientific approaches and invest heavily in these novel animal-free technologies. I, for sure, will do.