Human Stem Cell Use: iPS Cell
User-friendly predictive molecular diagnostic assays for quality control of stem cell derivatives for transplantation and drug discovery
Three years ago, with help from CIRM funding, we developed an assay. This is a genomics-base diagnostic assay, similar to those now used for diagnosing cancers; but in our case, it is designed to analyze human ES and iPS cells. The assay is very simple to use; researchers use microarrays to profile the genes that […]
Center of Excellence for Stem Cell Genomics – Stanford
The Center of Excellence in Stem Cell Genomics will bring together investigators from seven major California research institutions to bridge two fields – genomics and pluripotent stem cell research. The projects will combine the strengths of the center team members, each of whom is a leader in one or both fields. The program directors have […]
In vitro modeling of human motor neuron disease
Motor neuron (MN) diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis lead to progressive degeneration of MNs, presenting first with muscle weakness, followed by locomotor defects and frequently death due to respiratory failure. While progress has been made in identifying genes associated with MN degeneration, the molecular and cellular processes underlying disease onset […]
Directed Differentiation of Specialized Endothelial Cells
Vascular endothelial cells (EC) or endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) derived from stem cells could potentially lead to a variety of clinically relevant therapeutic applications, including various strategies for treating heart and vascular diseases. However, because EC exhibit a variety of functionally distinct subphenotypes, it is important to be able to generate the appropriate endothelial type. […]
Metabolically-driven epigenetic changes in iPSC reprogramming
Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from somatic cells through cellular reprogramming offers tremendous potential for therapeutics, the study of disease states, and elucidation of developmental processes. Central to the process of generating a pluripotent cell from a somatic cell is an energy-dependent epigenetic reconfiguration event that must occur to produce iPSCs with characteristics […]
Metabolic regulation of cardiac differentiation and maturation
Cells in the body take up nutrients from their environment and metabolize them in a complex set of biochemical reactions to generate energy and replicate. Control of these processes is particularly important for heart cells, which need large amounts of energy to drive blood flow throughout the body. Not surprisingly, the nutritional requirements of heart […]
Epigenetic mechanisms that enforce pluripotency in embryonic stem cells
Embryonic stem (ES) cells have the unique ability to self-renew while maintaining a pluripotent state. They can readily be differentiated into all cell types upon exposure to the appropriate stimuli. The differentiation of ES cells into specialist cell types involves the activation of lineage-specific programs of gene expression and the silencing of genes that promote […]
Elucidating pathways from hereditary Alzheimer mutations to pathological tau phenotypes
We propose to elucidate pathways of genes that lead from early causes to later defects in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), which is common, fatal, and for which no effective disease-modifying drugs are available. Because no effective AD treatment is available or imminent, we propose to discover novel genetic pathways by screening purified human brain cells made […]
A Requirement for Protein Homeostasis in the Mediation of Stem Cell Health
Experiments with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have clearly demonstrated their capacity to replicate continuously and maintain pluripotency. We hypothesize that the health of hESCs depends in part upon an increased ability to carefully control the health of their proteome. We have found that hESCs have an incredibly high level of proteasomal activity in comparison […]
Misregulated Mitophagy in Parkinsonian Neurodegeneration
Parkinson’s disease (PD), is one of the leading causes of disabilities and death and afflicting millions of people worldwide. Effective treatments are desperately needed but the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms of Parkinson’s destructive path are poorly understood. Mitochondria are cell’s power plants that provide almost all the energy a cell needs. When these cellular […]