UC SD Gets $5M for iPSCs Research in Type 1 Diabetes
Dr Maike Sander, MD, associate professor of pediatrics and cellular and molecular medicine at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine has been awarded $4.95 M by the Beta Cell Biology Consortium (BCBC) to lead a global interdisciplinary team in cell therapy research for type 1 diabetes.
- The aim is to generate replacement insulin-producing beta cells from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells;
- The grant is shared with Karl Willert, PhD, director of the UCSD Human Stem Cell Core Facility. He will apply a screening platform for cellular microenvironments to beta cell differentiation;
- Additional participants include labs at the University of Pennsylvania and in Barcelona as well as a San Diego-based biotech company;
- The major focus of Dr. Sander’s current research is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the ability of pluripotent stem cells to produce the different cell types of the pancreas;
- The goal is to be able to instruct patient-derived pluripotent stem cells to become beta cells.
Categories: Grant for type 1 diabetes research, Stem Cell Technology
