ESC & iPSC News Volume 12.49 | Dec 13 2017

TOP STORY

Transient and Permanent Reconfiguration of Chromatin and Transcription Factor Occupancy Drive Reprogramming

Researchers characterized the DNA regulatory landscape during reprogramming by time-course profiling of isolated sub-populations of intermediates poised to become iPSCs. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Impact of Regulatory Variation across Human iPSCs and Differentiated Cells

The authors investigated the use of iPSCs and iPSC-derived cells to study the impact of genetic variation on gene regulation across different cell types and as models for studies of complex disease. They characterized regulatory variation across individuals and cell types by measuring gene expression levels, chromatin accessibility and DNA methylation. [Genome Res] Full Article

Cell Type of Origin Dictates the Route to Pluripotency

By characterizing and profiling the reprogramming pathways of fibroblasts, neutrophils, and keratinocytes, scientists unveil that key events of the process, including loss of original cell identity, mesenchymal to epithelial transition, the extent of developmental reversion, and reactivation of the pluripotency network, are to a large degree cell-type specific. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

Massive and Reproducible Production of Liver Buds Entirely from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Researchers identified three progenitor populations that can effectively generate liver buds in a highly reproducible manner: hepatic endoderm, endothelium, and septum mesenchyme. They achieved human scalability by developing an omni-well-array culture platform for mass producing homogeneous and miniaturized liver buds on a clinically relevant large scale. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

A Refined Culture System for Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Intestinal Epithelial Organoids

Scientists present an improved culture system of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived intestinal organoids involving four methodological advances. These techniques enable them to develop, maintain, and expand intestinal organoids readily and quickly at low cost, facilitating high-throughput screening of pathogenic factors and candidate treatments for gastrointestinal diseases. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

Accelerated and Improved Differentiation of Retinal Organoids from Pluripotent Stem Cells in Rotating-Wall Vessel Bioreactors

Investigators report a bioprocess using rotating-wall vessel (RWV) bioreactors to culture retinal organoids derived from mouse pluripotent stem cells. Organoids in RWV demonstrated enhanced proliferation, with well-defined morphology and improved differentiation of neurons including ganglion cells and S-cone photoreceptors. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Wnt Inhibition Promotes Vascular Specification of Embryonic Cardiac Progenitors

Wnt5a, which has been shown to play an inhibitory role on Wnt during cardiac development, was dynamically expressed during vascular commitment of human PSC-derived cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) and ectopic Wnt5a promoted vascular specification of human PSC-derived and mouse embryonic CPCs. [Development] Full Article

Deciphering Transcriptional Regulation in Human Embryonic Stem Cells Specified towards a Trophoblast Fate

Researchers carried out a global and unbiased analysis on previously published transcriptomic profiles for human ESC differentiated to trophoblast cells by means of bone morphogenetic protein-4 and inhibitors of activin A and fibroblast growth factor-2 signaling. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Differential Expression of Cholinergic System Components in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Bone Marrow-Derived Multipotent Stromal Cells, and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Multipotent Stromal Cells

Scientists compared human induced pluripotent stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells from up to 33 different human donors with respect to gene expressions of components of the cholinergic system. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract

Impaired Osteogenesis of Disease-Specific Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Derived from a CFC Syndrome Patient

Induced pluripotent stem cells were generated from dermal fibroblasts of a cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome patient having rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma kinase B gain-of-function mutation. CFC-iPSCs were differentiated into CFC-mesenchymal stem cells and further induced to osteoblasts in vitro. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article

Cell Surface Markers for the Identification and Study of Human Naive Pluripotent Stem Cells

Studies using mouse naive cells indicated that they may have benefits over primed cells in modelling development and disease, and while it is yet to be determined if the same can be said about a human naive state, tools to identify this population should greatly further the field. [Stem Cell Res] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the ESC & iPSC research field.

Evotec Enters into Research Collaboration with CRTD to Discover Novel Therapies for Retinal Diseases

Evotec AG announced that it has entered into a research collaboration with the Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden (CRTD) to discover novel small molecule candidates for retinal diseases. Under the terms of the collaboration, Evotec will leverage CRTD’s expertise in stem cell-based retinal disease modeling and will apply its leading induced pluripotent stem cell technology platform to identify promising drug candidates for potential clinical development. [Evotec AG] Press Release

Stanford Faculty Receive Grants from State Stem Cell Agency

The governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine awarded about $6 million to three School of Medicine researchers. One award is meant to support translational research that has already shown early stage promise; the other two are smaller, proof-of-principle grants meant to allow researchers to test potentially important ideas in the stem cell field at the earliest stages of discovery. [Stanford Medicine] Press Release

Marc Peschanski, 2017 Opecst-Inserm Prize

Inserm Research Director Marc Peschanski and his team are currently working to mass-produce therapies developed from human embryonic stem cells and their products. [Inserm] Press Release

French Researchers Hope New Chief Will Revitalize Troubled Funding Agency

French scientists are hopeful that the newly appointed chief of a major research-funding agency will revive an organization suffering from squeezed budgets and staff discontent. [Nature News] Editorial

Brexit ‘Breakthrough’ Raises Hope — and Questions

British science is expected to benefit from a deal that would allow EU nationals to remain in the country once it leaves the union. [Nature News] Editorial

Nine Researchers Sue University of Rochester over Sexual-Harassment Allegations

Nine researchers filed a federal lawsuit against the University of Rochester in New York, its president Joel Seligman and its provost Robert Clark over their handling of alleged sexual harassment by a professor there. [Nature News] Editorial

U.S. Science Groups Make Last-Minute Push to Influence Final Tax Deal

It wasn’t your typical graduate school experience. Eight graduate students, including doctoral students in anthropology and astrophysics at major U.S. universities, ended up in handcuffs after they refused to end a noisy protest outside the Washington, D.C., office of Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW The London Stem Cell Network Symposium 2018
February 26, 2018
London, United Kingdom

NEW Wellcome Genome Campus: Single Cell Biology
March 6-8, 2018
Hinxton, United Kingdom

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW PhD Studentship – Patient Specific iPSCs for Studying Leukemia (Institute for Biomedical Engineering)

Quality Control Analyst – Pluripotent Stem Cells (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctral Fellow – Human Embryonic and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (Boston University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Positions – Translational iPS Cell Research, Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation (NIH NCATS)

Research Assistant – Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Organoid Formation and Self-Organization (Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research)

Postdoctoral Fellow – 3D Coculture/Organoid Cultures of Brain Structures (KU Leuven)

Postdoctoral Fellow – 3D Multicellular Culture Systems (KU Leuven)

Bioengineer – Stem Cells (Scaled Biolabs Inc.)

Postdoctoral Researchers – Stem Cell Metabolism (University of Helsinki)

Postdoctoral Fellows – Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Cytokines in Immunity, Stem Cells and Tissue Repair (Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medicine)

Research Assistant – Organoid Formation and Self-Organization (Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research)

Strategic Marketing Manager – Toxicology and Safety Pharmacology (Cellular Dynamics International)

Head of Facility – Gene Editing and Embryology (European Molecular Biology Laboratory)

Faculty Positions – Stem Cells or Organoid Models (Center for Stem Cell & Organoid Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Cell Therapy in Type 1 Diabetes (University of Copenhagen)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Multiple Areas (University of Oklahoma)

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