Therapeutic/Technology: Technology
Epithelial progenitors and the stromal niche as therapeutic targets in lung disease
Chronic lung disease is an enormous societal and medical problem in California and the nation as a whole, representing the third most likely cause of death. Treatment costs were $389.2 billion in 2011 and are expected to reach $832.9 billion in 2021 according to the Milken Institute. Chronic lung diseases cover a spectrum of disorders […]
Repair and regeneration of the nephron
Kidney function is essential for removing the wastes that result from normal cell function and maintaining water and salt balance in our internal tissues. These actions are carried out by roughly a million nephrons within the kidney that filter all the body’s blood roughly once every 1-2hours. The kidney also regulates other tissues controlling blood […]
The role of neural stem cells in cerebellar development, regeneration and tumorigenesis
Stem cells have the remarkable ability to renew themselves and to generate multiple different cell types. This allows them to generate normal tissues during development and to repair tissues following injury, but at the same time, renders them highly susceptible to mutations that can result in cancer. Only by understanding the signals that control growth […]
Medical School Loan Repayment Program
Congenital and acquired defects of cardiac pacemakers are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in our society. Dysfunctions of the SA node and the lower conduction cells lead to a variety of complex arrhythmias that typically necessitate anti-arrhythmic therapy and implantation of devices. These treatments have significant limitations in their efficacy and risk-benefit ratio. Thus, […]
Characterization of mechanisms regulating de-differentiation and the re-acquisition of stem cell identity
Stem cells are the building blocks during development of organisms as varied as plants and humans. In addition, adult or “tissue” stem cells provide for the maintenance and regeneration of tissues, such as blood and skin throughout the lifetime of an individual. The ability of stem cells to contribute to these processes depends on their […]
Characterization of mechanisms regulating de-differentiation and the re-acquisition of stem cell identity
Stem cells are the building blocks during development of organisms as varied as plants and humans. In addition, adult or “tissue” stem cells provide for the maintenance and regeneration of tissues, such as blood and skin throughout the lifetime of an individual. The ability of stem cells to contribute to these processes depends on their […]
Epigenetics in cancer stem cell initiation and clinical outcome prediction
Cancer is responsible for approximately 25% of all deaths in the US and other developed countries. For women, breast and lung cancers and for men, cancers of prostate and lung are the most prevalent and the most common cause of deaths from cancer. While a large number of treatment modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation […]
Mechanisms of Stem Cell Fate Decisions
Stem cells can mature into a diverse range of specialized cell types, providing exciting possibilities for regeneration of different tissue types. Many disorders can conceivably be treated by transplanting stem cells to replace the defective cells. However, several disorders affect a specific cell type, while other cells and tissues in the same patient are functioning […]
Transcriptional Regulation of Cardiac Pacemaker Cell Progenitors
Congenital and acquired defects of cardiac pacemakers are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in our society. Dysfunctions of the SA node and the lower conduction cells lead to a variety of complex arrhythmias that typically necessitate anti-arrhythmic therapy and implantation of devices. These treatments have significant limitations in their efficacy and risk-benefit ratio. Thus, […]
Identification of hESC-mediated molecular mechanism that positively regulates the regenerative capacity of post-natal tissues
The tissue regenerative capacity deteriorates with age in animals and in humans, leading to the loss of organ function, which is well exemplified in skeletal muscle, but is poorly understood in molecular terms. Our recent work uncovered that factors produced by human embryonic stem cells have a unique ability to enhance the regenerative responses of […]