Disease Focus: Respiratory Disorders
Pharmacological regenerative treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis targeting the senescent niche of lung progenitor cells.
Research Objective Novel selective pharmacological strategy targeting senescent lung stem cells Impact Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis along with other interstitial and age-related lung diseases Major Proposed Activities Chracterize senescence cells, including senescent stem and progenitor cells in the lung of patients affected by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Screening of a Rubedo Life Science library of senolytic small […]
Mesenchymal stem cell extracellular vesicles as therapy for pulmonary fibrosis
Research Objective We propose to develop mesenchymal stem cell derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EV) as treatment for lung fibrosis Impact MSC-EV are promising for several lung diseases, but we need to better understand how they work, where they go in the body, and whether there is a subset of MSC-EV with better efficacy Major Proposed Activities […]
Genome Editing to Correct Cystic Fibrosis Mutations in Airway Stem Cells
Research Objective Gene corrected autologous airway epithelial stem cells from patients with cystic fibrosis to be used as cell and gene based therapy for chronic sinus disease Impact The proposed studies would provide an innovative, readily applied primary stem cell based approach with gene correction to treat chronic sinusitis in CF, a debilitating airway disease. […]
Generation of human airway stem cells by direct transcriptional reprogramming for disease modeling and regeneration
Research Objective We will generate human airway stem cells by direct transcriptional reprogramming of fibroblasts. We will use these induced airway stem cells to model motile cilia disease in a dish. Impact Generating airway stem cells through reprogramming will create a scalable and editable cell line from which we can derive airway epithelium, thus enabling […]
Telomerase mRNA for short telomere related pulmonary fibrosis
Translational Candidate Nucleoside-modified mRNA encoding telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) encapsulated in a lung-targeting lipid nanoparticle delivered intravenously. Area of Impact 1) Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and 2) Other diseases and conditions caused or exacerbated by short telomeres. Mechanism of Action TERT mRNA LNPs transiently extend the telomeres of the alveolar epithelial cells of the lung, […]
Autologous Gene Corrected Sinus Basal Cells to Treat Serious Cystic Fibrosis Sinus Disease
Therapeutic Candidate or Device Gene corrected autologous sinus airway basal stem cells from patients with Cystic Fibrosis. Indication The proposed studies provide an innovative stem cell based approach with gene correction to treat chronic sinusitis in CF. Therapeutic Mechanism Corrected upper airway cells will produce differentiated epithelium with restored Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) […]