Competence Centre on Health Technologies, CCHT is a biotechnology company established in 2009, directed by Prof. Andres Salumets. CCHT was founded as a consortium consisting of academia, leading biotechnology enterprises and human/veterinary clinics in Estonia (in total 13 partners). The aim of CCHT is through collaboration to create synergy between all partners and establish a platform for new opportunities for developing innovative technologies as well as boosting commercialization of scientific achievements.

CCHT provides several tests as a healthcare service: for example, beREADY – an advanced molecular tool to evaluate endometrium and its readiness for embryo implantation; NIPTIFY – Non-invasive prenatal testing, and PGT-A for preimplantation genetic testing of embryos.

The research at CCHT is focused on novel approaches for human infertility diagnostics and treatment, human and animal assisted reproductive technologies, personal medicine, and drug development. Reproductive Medicine Development Area projects contribute to solving some of the most pressing issues in contemporary reproductive and fetal medicine. In infertility treatment, CCHT aims to provide better solutions for infertile couples that need medical help to have children, in the form of more precise diagnostic and treatment solutions. Our endometriosis research has demonstrated the presence of transcriptomic and proteomic alterations in endometriotic lesions and the possible involvement of microRNAs in endometriosis pathogenesis. Currently we are focusing on discovering molecular mechanisms behind the disease development and on finding non-invasive markers for more effective diagnosis of endometriosis.

Key publications:
Kiisholts, K; Kurrikoff, K; Arukuusk, P; Porosk, L; Peters, M; Salumets, A; Langel, Ü (2021). Cell-Penetrating Peptide and siRNA-Mediated Therapeutic Effects on Endometriosis and Cancer In Vitro Models. Pharmaceutics, 13(10), 1618.

Lavõgina, D; Samuel, K; Lavrits, A; Meltsov, A; Sõritsa, D; Kadastik, Ü; Peters, M; Rinken, A; Salumets, A (2019). Chemosensitivity and chemoresistance in endometriosis – differences for ectopic versus eutopic cells. RBM Online, 39, 556−568.

Saare, M; Krigul, KL; Laisk-Podar, T; Ponandai-Srinivasan, S; Rahmioglu, N; Kumar, L; Zondervan, K; Salumets, A; Peters, M (2018). DNA methylation alterations-potential cause of endometriosis pathogenesis or a reflection of tissue heterogeneity? Biol Reprod, 99 (2), 273−282.

Rekker, K.; Tasa, T.; Saare, M.; Samuel, K.; Kadastik, Ü.; Karro, H.; Götte, M.; Salumets, A.; Peters, M. (2018). Differentially-Expressed miRNAs in Ectopic Stromal Cells Contribute to Endometriosis Development: The Plausible Role of miR-139-5p and miR-375. IJMS, 19 (12), 3789−3789.

Rekker, K; Saare, M; Eriste, E; Tasa, T; Kukuškina, V; Roost, AM; Anderson, K; Samuel, K; Karro, H; Salumets, A; Peters, M (2017). High-throughput mRNA sequencing of stromal cells from endometriomas and endometrium. Reproduction, 154 (1), 93−100.