iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

As the @worldmusclesociety.org congress gets underway in Hiroshima, MAGIC Horizons is proud to have our partners sharing research and helping shape the landscape of neuromuscular disease. Take a look at our poster highlighting MAGIC contributions across WMS 2026. #WMS2026 #MAGICHorizons

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Meet the people behind MAGIC 🎥 Dr Sinéad Ryan from Maynooth University works alongside Prof Karen English, exploring the immune challenges linked to gene therapies for muscular dystrophies. Their work is helping build a stronger foundation for safe and effective treatments. #MAGIC #GeneTherapy

010

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

A look back at an important update from earlier this summer 👀 The MAGIC consortium welcomed Optics11 Life, DiNABIOS and HOYA Consulting to the project, bringing valuable expertise to support the next phase of our work. #MAGIC #MAGICHorizons

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Meet the people behind MAGIC 🎥 Introducing Isabelle Ringhofer, Senior Project Manager at DINAMIQS. As part of the MAGIC consortium, DINAMIQS brings experience in turning advances in genetic medicine into healthcare solutions, helping to maximise the consortium's research impact. #MAGICConsortium

010

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

September is Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month and we are proud to be working to accelerate the development of genetic therapies for muscular dystrophies through advanced muscle models, muscle-on-chip technologies, and innovative gene therapy and genome editing approaches ✨ magic-horizon.eu

020

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

The MAGIC Consortium have been busy publishing updates on their work recently! Discover the latest lay summaries of MAGIC scientific publications and explore our research findings in clear, accessible language 👇 magic-horizon.eu/project-reso... #MAGIC #RareDiseases #Research

magic-horizon.eu

Publications | MAGIC

010

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

MAGIC researcher Leah Zerlin recently presented on advanced 2D and 3D iPSC-derived models of X-linked myotubular myopathy at the 2026 Muscle Stem Cells and Regeneration meeting. This work is helping to build robust platforms for the development of future treatments ✨ #MAGIC #MuscleResearch

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Proud to see #MAGIC partner @genethonfr.bsky.social presenting at #SITGEC2026 in Milan! Highlights included a presentation on gene editing for DMD treatment by Dr Mario Amendola, alongside a poster on CRISPR-mediated utrophin upregulation as a mutation-independent strategy for DMD 💡

010

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

#FlashbackFriday to meeting our new MAGIC consortium partner, Optics11 Life! Duchenne Parent Project Italy and @mdukcharity.bsky.social heard about their technology and how it fits into the MAGIC project. Plenty of enthusiasm to see what we can achieve together! #RareDisease #HorizonEurope

Three women in front of a banner from OPTICS11 Life

021

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

We're excited to welcome Optics11 Life, DiNABIOS and HOYA Consulting to the MAGIC consortium! Their expertise in mechanobiology and disease modelling will strengthen our next phase of research and translation. Welcome aboard! #HorizonEurope #RareDiseases

010

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Meet the people behind MAGIC 🎥 This intro video highlights some of the researchers and industry partners working across the MAGIC consortium - bringing together expertise from academia and industry to tackle shared challenges and create new opportunities through collaboration. #MAGICConsortium

012

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

MAGIC members on tour! 👀 MAGIC members DINAMIQS joined the Cell & Gene Meeting on the Med to discuss gene therapy discovery and commercialisation. Great discussions on how early CDMO involvement can help speed up development and get innovative therapies to patients sooner ✨ #GeneTherapy #MAGIC

010

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Sneak Preview! ✨ Something special is coming soon... Stay tuned as we begin sharing short interviews from our 4th General Assembly Meeting with some of our Senior and Junior Magicians, that offer a glimpse into the people behind our MAGIC Horizon community in the coming weeks! 🎥

011

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

We are wrapping up at the 4th MAGIC Horizon Project General Assembly in San Sebastián (1–2 June 2026). There has been great progress across the consortium with valuable discussions on future experiments, sustainability and collaboration. Thank you to VIVEbiotech and all partners! #HorizonEurope

021

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Activating the body's backup plan in DMD 👀 At ASGCT 2026, INSERM presented CRISPR-based work in DMD - aiming to switch on utrophin through epigenetic regulation, sparking discussion on mutation-independent strategies and gene regulation tools for muscular dystrophies. #ASGCT26 #GeneTherapy #MAGIC

101

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

⚡ Calcium signalling links stimulation to muscle contraction. This clip shows real time calcium transients in engineered muscle using Fluo 4. These functional readouts are central to MAGIC as we move toward disease models and gene therapy testing. #CalciumSignalling #LiveCellImaging #MAGIC

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

🔬 A closer look at one of our 3D muscle constructs after 14 days in culture. Confocal imaging reveals organised muscle fibres, nuclei, calcium release channels, and mitochondria – key features we check before modelling disease or testing therapies. #Microscopy #MuscleResearch #MAGIC

042

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

🧬 In MAGIC, we’re building 3D muscle models that closely mimic human tissue. These engineered fibres align, mature, and contract in response to stimulation – providing a powerful system for testing gene therapies in disease relevant muscle. #3DMuscle #GeneTherapy #MAGIC

011

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

🚀 New MAGIC paper! A mutation‑independent CRISPR–Cas9 edit boosts utrophin in human DMD cells, 3D muscle, and mdx mice — improving calcium handling, contraction, and muscle pathology. A promising universal approach alongside dystrophin‑restoring therapies. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41877484/

Image of a microscope and text

"New MAGIC project publication. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated upregulation of utrophin ameliorates Duchenne muscular dystrophy"

010

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

We’re adding lay summaries of recent MAGIC conference presentations to our website to make our work more accessible to the neuromuscular community. These short overviews share the key ideas, aims and insights behind the science across the network. Check them out: magic-horizon.eu/project-reso...

Image of a person presenting at a conference with the text "conference insights, lay summaries now available"

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

AAV gene therapies can only progress if we can manufacture high‑quality vectors at scale. MAGIC and DINAMIQS have been working to make AAV production more robust and development‑ready, helping ensure emerging neuromuscular therapies have a practical path toward the clinic. #GeneTherapy #AAV

Text which says "Scaling AAV Manufacturing for Neuromuscular Gene Therapy" alongside an image on an AAV

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

For #RareDiseaseDay we're highlighting the importance of equity in rare disease research and care. MAGIC partners have shared what motivates their work and how they hope to help create a fairer future. Read their words here: magic-horizon.eu/news/rare-di...

Rare disease day with the MAGIC team. Images of several MAGIC members who shared their thoughts

010

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

This year's JP Morgan Conference highlighted a growing focus on smart manufacturing choices in CGT. MAGIC members DiNAMIQS met with teams to discuss how strong science can be turned into scalable therapies—supporting MAGIC’s mission to advance treatments for rare neuromuscular conditions.

Crowd of people from the JP Morgan conference sat outside

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

🧬 The past year has seen huge progress across MAGIC — from refining 3D muscle constructs to expanding engineered tissue and multi‑organoid platforms. These advances are giving us more predictive ex vivo models and helping accelerate the path toward next‑gen gene therapies. #MAGICProject

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

Great to see the MAGIC consortium highlighted in UCL’s story on accelerating therapies for rare neuromuscular disorders. Collaboration across Europe is essential to driving the breakthroughs patients need. 🌍✨ #MAGICconsortium #RareDisease #NeuromuscularResearch

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Earlier this month, MAGIC members took part in the ESGCT Academy. PhD students presented projects linked to MAGIC and received feedback and career advice. The event also showed the depth of our expertise, with speakers supporting the next generation of researchers. #genetherapy #research

Person stood in front of a screen presenting about AAV vectors and the MAGIC project

010

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

Where is MAGIC? Across Europe and beyond. Our consortium spans 10 countries, connecting leading institutions to tackle neuromuscular research challenges together. 🔗 magic-horizon.eu #MAGICProject #ResearchCollaboration #NeuromuscularResearch

Map of the world with pins where MAGIC is located - America, UK, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and more

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

ICYMI: What’s next for neuromuscular treatment development? MAGIC Project joined Muscular Dystrophy UK's Muscles Matter podcast to discuss SMA gene therapies, AI, and the future of collaborative research. 🎧 Listen: bit.ly/4aJpPodcast #MAGICProject #GeneTherapy #Podcast

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

🎆 Happy New Year from the MAGIC Project! 🎆 In 2026, we’ll keep pushing boundaries in neuromuscular research: ✅ Better disease models ✅ Gene therapy innovation ✅ Stronger networks for translation Learn more: magic-horizon.eu #MAGICProject #HappyNewYear

2026 written with a DNA strand coming out the 0

011

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

Recent advances have changed the landscape, but what’s next for neuromuscular treatment development? MAGIC joins Muscular Dystrophy UK's Muscles Matter podcast to discuss progress, research priorities & the role of AI. 🎧 Listen: www.musculardystrophyuk.org/support/serv...

musculardystrophyuk.org

Muscular Dystrophy UK podcast: Muscles Matter - Muscular Dystrophy UK

This series is informed by insights from our community about what you want to listen to – themes that span from health and wellbeing, the latest research, tips and advice on day to day living with a m...

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Explaining gene therapy isn’t easy – but it’s essential. Francesco Saverio Tedesco from the MAGIC project shares a clear way to make it understandable for patients. Learn more about MAGIC’s patient-centred approach: magic-horizon.eu/about/object... #GeneTherapy #MAGICHorizon

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

Missed our latest newsletter? It was a BIG one including conference highlights, progress and our general assembly! Stay in the loop: 🔗 Sign up today ➡️ magic-horizon.eu/news-events/newsletter

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

🔬 Curious about the latest progress in gene therapy for muscular dystrophies? The #MAGICproject is publishing impactful research, scientific tools & resources for the wider community. 🧬 Explore open-access papers, abstracts, and key findings here: 👉 magic-horizon.eu

A laptop with notebooks next to the MAGIC, EU horizon, UKRI and SERI logos

011

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Last month, MAGIC partners met in Lisbon for our annual General Assembly at GIMM. Discussions focused on: • Improving AAV delivery for gene therapy • Gene editing beyond mutation correction • 3D muscle models to accelerate testing Read more: magic-horizon.eu/news/magic-g...

Group of people from the MAGIC project standing on stairs.

011

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

✨ What is MAGIC and why does it matter for gene therapy? PI @SaverioTedesco shares how this multi-partner project tackles key challenges in rare neuromuscular conditions – building building tools for safer, more effective treatments. 🎥 Watch below #GeneTherapy #RareDisease

011

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

What’s next for gene therapy? Our workshop brought researchers together for a Q&A with MAGIC experts Eduard Ayuso, David-Alexandre Gross, Gabriela Silve & Odile Boespflug-Tanguy. From delivery challenges to emerging tech, the future looks bold. #GeneTherapy

A panel of people discussing the future of gene therapy in front of a crowd of people sitting down.

011

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

🚨 MAGIC Project General Assembly! 🚨 Consortium partners are gathering to: ✅ Share progress ✅ Strengthen collaboration ✅ Align on next steps We’re driving innovation in neuromuscular disease & gene therapy – and building momentum for the year ahead. 🚀 #ResearchProgress

Group of people sat in front of two people presenting, with a screen in the background which says "why are we here?"

011

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

Proud to host today’s MAGIC Project workshop in Lisbon, where experts are discussing: 🔬Muscle on a Chip 🧬Gene Editing 💉Viral Transduction 🧫Vector Production We're sharing knowledge with the wider research community to accelerate progress in #genetherapy.

Person standing up in front of a podium speaking to a group of people sat down.

011

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

🔬 Earlier this month at #ESGCT2025, MAGIC partners @crick.ac.uk shared 3 posters on human models for neuromuscular gene therapy: 🧪 3D cultures for DMD 🧠 AAV dynamics in multi-organoids 🧬 Myotubular myopathy modelling Pushing boundaries in patient-relevant research. #genetherapy #MagicProject

Images of 3 different presenters standing in front of their posters at ESGCT 2025

011

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

🔬 MAGIC at #ESGCT2025! DINAMIQS shared how mass photometry boosts AAV packaging efficiency & stability. 📌 >95% full capsids = better stress resilience. 🚀 Fast, label-free AAV quality checks = smarter upstream optimisation. #MAGICProject #GeneTherapy #AAV

Marco Wachowius from DINAMIQS stands in front of the poster titled "Single-Particle Analysis of AAV Vectors by Mass Photometry: Insights into Packaging Efficiency and Stability"

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

Great to see Francesco Saverio Tedesco presenting the latest results from the MAGIC project at #WMS2025 in Vienna this morning. Fantastic to see this international collaboration represented on the global stage 🌍🧬 #genetherapy #3Dmusclemodels

Image of Francesco Saverio Tedesco in front of a crowd with a slide showing the MAGIC team

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

Are you attending #WMS2025 or #ESGCT2025 this week? 🔬 Make sure you check out the presentations from MAGIC members to learn more about the project and how we’re aiming to accelerate the development of gene therapies for rare neuromuscular conditions. 🧵⬇️

Check out MAGIC presentations!

WMS
10:00 - 10:15 10 October
Francesco Saverio Tedseco
Towards a human multi-organoid platform to develop and assess specificity, toxicity and efficacy of neuromuscular gene therapies

Posters at ESGCT
P0287 - Mariam Zhouhair
P0010 - Sumitava Dastidar
P0373 - Leah Zerlin

100

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Headed to #WMS2025 or #ESGCT2025 next week? 🧬✈️ Members from MAGIC will be attending both – keep an eye out for posters and presentations to learn more about the project. We’re looking forward to connecting with researchers, clinicians, and collaborators across both events! 🤝

Image of Vienna and Seville with the test overlayed:

MAGIC is attending WMS and ESGCT next week.

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

In the MAGIC project, we’re building modular 3D muscle models for conditions like FSHD, Duchenne & congenital myopathies. 🧬 Tailored cell sources 🧱 Custom matrix design 📊 Relevant functional readouts All within a scalable, reproducible platform. 🔗 magic-horizon.eu

Image of a person holding a pipette, next to text which says:

"Can one platform capture the complexity of multiple neuromuscular conditions? Scalable and reproducible 3D muscle models."

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Rare neuromuscular diseases demand global collaboration. 🌍 The MAGIC project unites researchers worldwide to advance next-gen genetic therapies. Our project leaflets, now in 6 languages, outline our goals and translational potential. 📄 Download: magic-horizon.eu/media/leafle... #RareDisease

Two scientists in the lab looking at a computer

010

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

We’re building next-gen 3D muscle models in the MAGIC Project 🧬 🔬 Patient-derived cells 💧 Microfluidics 🧫 3D tissue architecture Designed to better predict how gene therapies will work in rare neuromuscular diseases. 🔗 magic-horizon.eu #GeneTherapy

Image of researcher in lab wearing gloves and holding a pipette.

Text next to it "How we we improve the likelihood that gene therapies will succeed in clinical trials? Advanced 3D muscle models for better prediction"

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

🚨 New publication from the #MAGICproject! A novel iPSC line from a UCMD patient with a COL6A1 mutation offers a valuable new model for studying collagen VI-related muscular dystrophies and testing therapies. 📖 Read the paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Hands wearing gloves, holding a pipette in a fumehood

000

MAGIC @magic-horizon.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

Developing gene therapies for rare muscular dystrophies comes with big challenges: 🔬 Lack of realistic muscle models 🧫 Targeted delivery without triggering immune responses Mariam Zhouhair (‪@crick.ac.uk) shares how the MAGIC project is tackling these. 🔗 magic-horizon.eu/news/meet-cr...

Image of Mariam Zouhair and a quote "I'm excited to be part of a project that brings together different perspectives and expertise to tackle such an important challenge."

010