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Stem cells lie at the heart of
regenerative medicine because
they have the potential
to replace damaged and
defective tissues.
At the Institute for
Cell Engineering Stem
Cell Biology Program,
we investigate how these
powerful cells work.
And how to better harness them
for therapies and research.
>> Much of the program's
research involves reprogramming
adult cells to become what
are known as induced pluripotent
stem cells.
Like embryonic stem cells,
induced pluripotent stem cells
can become any other
cell type in the body.
But they also enable scientists
to get an up close look at
diseases, by making stem
cells with patients DNA,
and growing affected
cell types in the lab.
In Lin Zhou Chung's laboratory,
for example,
researchers have been using
human induced pluripotent stem
cells, and genome editing,
to better study blood diseases
such as sickle cell anemia.
They are also working to
efficiently make human blood
cells from stem cells, which
could eliminate blood shortages
and the risk of passing disease
from donor to recipient.
Work in Elias Zambidi's
laboratory centers on
the development of the human
vascular system and our blood.
His group's goal is to use
induced pluripotent stem cells
to treat conditions such as
diabetic retinal disease,
heart disease and stroke,
leukemia and other cancers.
Meanwhile, Gabsang Lee's
research group
uses induced pluripotent
stem cells from patients
to study muscular dystrophies
and nerve damage.
They have even bypassed
the stem cell stage.
Converting skin cells directly
into other specialized cells
in order to recreate
disease in a dish.
Techniques like this may
pave the way to more
personalized medicine.
As doctors could potentially try
out treatments on a patient's
lab grown cells to see
whether they will work.
In Hong June Son's laboratory,
induced pluripotent
stem cells are used to study
early brain development.
His team has found that the
roots of many mental illnesses
may lie in how newborn
neurons find their places and
form connections.
>> Through our work with
stem cells, we aim to help
make the promise of regenerative
medicine a reality.
We invite you to visit our
website to learn more about our
research, and available here.
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