Year 2

The CIRM sponsored Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Shared Stem Cell Facility underwent a leadership change and new personnel were hired in January 2011. The facility was reorganized and resupplied to support an increase in research utilization within the space. The staff has been providing hPSCs to researchers interested in working the pluripotent stem cell field, as well as protocols, education, consultation, protocol development, and hPSC culture technique training for those interested in entering the field. The stem cell core has been working with biotech industry to provide educational seminars to the researchers of CHLA on applications of tools in stem cell research.

Research occurring in the Shared facility has increased since January 2011. Studies using the facility now include the development of disease models for retinoblastoma and Ewings sarcoma, including the study of genes and pathways, such as in retinoblastoma tumorigenesis, sympathoadrenal differentiation, and the role of the Wnt signaling pathway in hESCs. Additional studies are being developed include a disease model of intestinal development and inflammation, and stable gene knock-downs in hPSCs. The Shared facility has also been involved in assisting with developing a potential stem cell mediated therapy.