MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Dhruv Sareen, PhD
Director, iPSC Core Facility
Regenerative Medicine Institute
Research Scientist, Neurobiology Research
Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles CA
Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Dr. Sareen: We have developed a novel method to re-create brain and intestinal stem cells from patients who died decades ago, using stored blood samples. Using the iPS cell technology at Cedars-Sinai this new method now allows us to apply to alive as well as deceased patient blood cells. Our study, published in the journal STEM CELLS Translational Medicine, highlights the power of this technology for many deceased patients that were diagnosed with debilitating diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and motor neuron diseases (spinal muscular atrophy and ALS). Patients had their blood samples stored away at Cedars-Sinai when they were alive decades ago. At that time all researchers could have done was collect and bank their blood cell lines for research purposes. The iPS cell technology wasn’t even on scientists radar then. With novel developments in my lab we have figured out how to reliably create new stem cell lines from patient blood samples stored away in large cell banks. We have also shown that these recreated stem cells can efficiently make neurons specific to the spine (motor) and cells of the gut. Since it is very difficult to get unlimited access to research affected cells and tissues from the patients, our discoveries now allow us such important capabilities. Thus, now we are not limited to animal models of disease, but can use these patient-specific stem cells to better pinpoint potential causes of these devastating illnesses.
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