Molecular Characterization of hESC and hIPSC-Derived Spinal Motor Neurons
One of the main objectives of stem cell biology is to create physiologically relevant cell types that can be used to either facilitate the study of or directly treat human…
Human Cardiovascular Progenitors, their Niches and Control of Self-renewal and Cell Fate
For the millions of Americans who are born with or develop heart disease, stem cell research offers the first hope of reversing or repairing heart muscle damage. Thus, early reports…
Defining the molecular mechanisms of somatic cell reprogramming
The development of methods to “reprogram” adult cells such as skin cells by simultaneously expressing four specific factors — Oct3/4, Sox2, c-Myc and Klf4 — in order to create cells…
Molecular Mechanisms of Reprogramming towards Pluripotency
Stem cell biology and its applications to cell-based therapies, since its inception 30 years ago, has been hindered by the immunological considerations of rejection of non-autologous cells in patients, as…
Molecular Characterization and Functional Exploration of Hemogenic Endothelium
Hematopoietic cells are responsible for generating all cell types present in the blood and therefore critical for the provision of oxygen and nutrients to all the tissues in the body.…
Multi-gene modulation to rescue CNS-associated microdeletion syndromes
Research Objective Chromosomal microdeletion syndromes result in severe neuropsychiatric syndromes and lack therapy. This proposal will define critical genomic regions needed to generate new tools for functional rescue. Impact This…
Utilizing Age-Specific Adipocyte Progenitor Cells for Cell Therapy in Older Patients
Research Objective A new type of APC serves older patients as 1) better MSC in immunomodulation (reducing inflammation) for autologous transplantation; 2) better source of somatic cells for generating heathier…
Modeling and understanding alveolar hypoplasia in Down syndrome using iPSCs-derived alveolar type II cells
Research Objective Understanding alveolar progenitor cell defects in T21 and the genes/pathways associated with them will allow for developing therapeutic approaches for individuals with DS. Impact Although trisomy 21 affects…
An interactive data resource for hypothesis testing in stem cell single-cell gene expression and validation of the results with brain organoids
Research Objective We are building a "virtual molecular microscope" where anyone can quickly visualize a very recent, high-throughput molecular assay, single-cell RNA-seq and spatial gene expression studies Impact Currently, a…
Ex vivo fate mapping of human lung stem cell plasticity in fibrotic disease
Research Objective This proposal will design new models to study behavior that is specific to human lung stem cells, and screen for drugs that can target abnormal stem cells in…
