Project Objective: Research Insights
Endothelial cells and ion channel maturation of human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes
Cardiovascular diseases remain the major cause of death in the western world. Stem and progenitor cell-derived cardiomyocytes (SPC-CMs) hold great promise for myocardial repairs. However, most SPC-CMs displayed heterogeneous and immature electrophysiological (EP) phenotypes with variable automaticity. Implanting these electrically immature and inhomogeneous CMs into hearts might carry arrhythmogenic risks. Human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes […]
Role of the microenvironment in human iPS and NSC fate and tumorigenesis
Multipotent Neural Stem Cells (NSC) can be derived from adult central nervous system (CNS) tissue, embryonic stem cells (ESC), or iPSC and provide a partially committed cell population that has not exhibited evidence of tumorigenesis after long term CNS transplantation. Transplantation of NSC from these different sources has been shown by multiple investigators in different […]
Self-renewal and senescence in iPS cells derived from patients with a stem cell disease
The discovery of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology promises to revolutionize our understanding of human disease and to allow the development of new cellular therapies for regenerative medicine applications. The ability to reprogram a patient’s fibroblasts to iPS cells creates the opportunity to expand human cells with a specific genetic defect and to study […]
Molecular Characterization and Functional Exploration of Nuclear Receptors in hiPSCs
Our lab is known for its discovery of the family of nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) that use vitamins/hormones to control genes and thereby regulate embryonic development, cell growth, physiology and metabolism. Of 48 known NHRs, we discovered that a unique subset of 38 receptors are expressed in adipose-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). The […]
RNA Binding Protein-mediated Post-transcriptional Networks Regulating HPSC Pluripotency
Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) have the remarkable capacity to replicate indefinitely and differentiate into virtually any cell type in the human body. Maintaining this pluripotent cell state requires the precise control of hundreds, if not thousands of proteins in the cells, a process known as gene regulation. Recently it has been shown that adult […]
WNT signaling and the control of cell fate decisions in human pluripotent stem cells.
With their ability to develop into virtually all mature cell types, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) represent a unique and powerful research tool to study the fundamental mechanisms regulating human development. In addition, hPSC provide the “raw material” for the development of cell-based therapies of presently incurable diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative […]
Directing migration of human stem cells with electric fields
Great progress has been made in the last decades to derive many types of human stem cells for potential therapeutic uses. However, practical clinical use is severely limited by several challenges. One of which is the poor homing and integration of transplanted cells with the targeted host tissues – only very few transplanted stem cells […]
Mitochondrial Metabolism in hESC and hiPSC Differentiation, Reprogramming, and Cancer
Stem cell quality and safety in developing regenerative medicine therapies is of utmost importance. Poor outcomes include inadequate functionality, exhaustion, immune rejection, cancer development, and others. Recent studies strongly support our core hypothesis that mitochondrial function determines stem cell quality and safety. Dysfunctional mitochondria foster cancer, diabetes, obesity, neurodegeneration, immunodeficiency, and cardiomyopathy. Unlike whole genome […]
The stem cell microenvironment in the maintenance of pluripotency and reprogramming
Pluripotent stem cell research is just on the verge of beginning to fulfill its promise to revolutionize medicine. Whether they are derived from embryos, or from adult cells that have been reprogrammed, human pluripotent stem cells can be propagated indefinitely in the laboratory and can turn into a wide range of mature cell types, providing […]
The retinoblastoma (RB) gene family in cellular reprogramming
One important aspect of regenerative medicine is the ability to introduce functional stem cells into patients to restore tissue function. This type of therapeutic approach will not be commonly used until several major potential problems have been addressed, including immune rejection and the risk of developing cancer. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) hold great promise […]