Human inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) platform

Project Overview

Studies of genetic disorders are limited because of the lack of appropriate tissue samples from patients. A promising avenue to overcome this deficit is the recently described method of converting adult cells into inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)1, and differentiating them into desired cell types such as various types of neurons or glial cells, hepatocytes, osteogenic cells, cardiomyocytes, adipocytes, insulin producing cells, vascular cells, and endothelial cells. The ability to reprogram these cells to a pluripotent state provides an unprecedented opportunity to establish cell-based disease models, to develop new cell therapies using iPSC and to screen drug libraries. In addition to the production of hiPSC, the hIPSC Quebec Platform also offers: a core facility to generate hiPSC Neurons from hiPSC lines derived from patients with various neurologial diseases to create (or rescue) appropriate disease models (core headed by Dr Eric Soubridge (Montreal Neurological Institute) and: a hiPSC Genome-editing core which will provide unprecedented ability to study the influence of disease mutations in the most appropriate in vitro models (headed by Dr Peter McPearson, Montreal Neurological Institute). The Quebec hiPSC platform is headed by Pr Jack Puymirat (Laval University) and Dr Edward A. Fon (Montreal Neurological Institute).

Partners and Donors

Marigold Foundation

Réseau de médecine génétique appliquée

McGill University

Quebec Pain Research Network