Year 3

We continue to focus on understanding the role of microRNAs in the development of hematopoietic stem cells from human embryonic stem cells. Progress is slow, but present. We now understand that cells we expected to have hematopoietic stem cell potential appear to have a greater potential for becoming cells that line the blood vessels (endothelial cells). We are now trying to comb through our microRNA data to see if it can inform us as to how to push such cells more towards hematopoietic stem cells. We do know that these two cell types are very closely linked during mammalian development. We are also investigating new ways to develop cells from embryonic stem cells to help our chance of finding/developing the elusive hematopoietic stem cell.