Human Stem Cell Use: Adult or Tissue Stem Cell
Role of Innate Immunity in hematopoeitic stem cell-mediated allograft tolerance
The research proposed in this project has very high potential to identify new medications to boost the natural ability of stem cells to prevent rejection of transplanted organs. This is a very important goal, because patients that receive a life-saving transplanted organ must take toxic medications that increase their risk for cancer and serious infections. […]
Engineered immune tolerance by Stem Cell-derived thymic regeneration
Stem cell therapies have the potential to transform medicine by allowing the regeneration of tissues or organs damaged by disease or trauma. In order for stem cell therapies to proceed, it will be essential that the regulation of immune responses to the stem cell derived tissues be achieved. While the function of the immune system […]
Inactivating NK cell reactivity to facilitate transplantation of stem cell derived tissue
One of the great promises of stem cell research is that it will one day be possible to prepare replacement cells or organs from stem cells such as embryonic stem cells, which can be transplanted to patients to substitute for diseased or defective patient tissues or organs. Unfortunately, the immune system reacts against, and rejects, […]
Engineering Embryonic Stem Cell Allografts for Operational Tolerance
Stem cells, like all transplants not derived from an identical twin, are subject to scrutiny by the immune system and, without medical interventions that suppress the immune system, are usually killed after transplantation. However, rare exceptions to this rule exist because a small fraction of transplant patients has been able to maintain their transplant in […]
Application of Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
The immune system protects us from invading pathogens, but has to be kept in check to prevent harmful responses to our own tissues. Unique immune “suppressor” cells have been recently characterized that prevent harmful responses to our own cells and proteins. We have recently identified unique populations of white blood cells, called dendritic cells that […]
Generation of regulatory T cells by reprogramming
The goal of our research is to develop efficient methods for making a particular class of immune-system cells known as regulatory T cells (Tregs). Tregs have the potential to be useful in a wide variety of clinical situations. For instance, they could be used to control the harmful immune responses seen in patients with autoimmune […]
Purified allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells as a platform for tolerance induction
Blood and immune cells originate and mature in the bone marrow. Bone marrow cells are mixtures of blood cells at different stages of development, and include rare populations of blood-forming stem cells. These stem cells are the only cells capable of generating the blood system for the life of an individual. Bone marrow transplants (BMT) […]
Development of the Theracyte Cellular Encapsulation System for Delivery of human ES Cell-derived Pancreatic Islets and Progenitors.
There are several challenges to the successful implementation of a cellular therapy for insulin dependent diabetes derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs). Among these are the development of functional insulin-producing cells, a clinical delivery method that eliminates the need for chronic immunosuppression, and assurance that hESC-derived tumors do not develop in the patient. We […]
Novel Separation of Stem Cell Subpopulations
The inability to separate stem cells and their differentiated progeny accurately, easily, and rapidly undermines progress in the stem cell field. Traditional separation of living cells into subpopulations relies on techniques that utilize characteristic cell surface markers, but specific markers are severely limited or lacking altogether for many stem cell populations. Without ways to discriminate […]
In Vivo Imaging for the Detection and Quantitation of Transplanted Stem/Progenitor Cells in Nonhuman Primates
Stem cells hold great potential for treating a variety of human diseases, but more information is needed on how they will function once administered to patients for regenerative medicine purposes. If imaging techniques can be developed that allow the monitoring of these transplanted stem and progenitor cells over time once injected into the body, this […]