2009 Public Lecture Series
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Found in Translation: Stem Cells from Bench to Bedside
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Stem cell research holds great promise for unlocking the secrets of incurable human diseases. Stem cell biologists have entered into an alliance with mathematicians, engineers and clinicians to break down the walls between these diverse disciplines to overcome the challenges of translating bench science into effective treatments. Recent advances in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS) techniques that allow scientists to reprogram adult cells and monitor disease progression in a Petri-dish have drawn an enormous amount of attention. Together with high-throughput screening technology, these techniques may lead to more competent drugs to treat devastating diseases. Scientists who employ a tissue engineering approach that combines stem cells, biomaterials and molecular signals are working toward a new paradigm to regenerate damaged tissue or organs with cell-based therapies. Dr. Chou will present an overview of the central role of stem cell research in regenerative medicine including musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative applications.
Related Links
- Duquesne University
- National Institutes of Health
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
- Glossary
Kathy Chou, Ph.D.
Dr. Chou received her doctoral degree in biomedical engineering from University of California, Los Angeles and completed her postdoctoral fellowship training at the Center for Regenerative Medicine in Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. At UCLA, Dr. Chou's research focused on biomaterials and tissue engineering for bone and cartilage regeneration. A new type of bio-conductive material, termed accelerated biomimetic apatite, was created by Dr. Chou to promote bone regeneration. Three dimensional biodegradable scaffolds incorporated with accelerated apatite and fat tissue-derived stem cells were shown to heal critical size skull defects in a mouse model. Dr. Chou then shifted her research interest to understanding the molecular mechanism of pluripotency in embryonic stem (ES) cells and germline stem cells. She derived a novel stem cell line from mouse blastocyst embryos that may serve as an important tool to enhance our understanding of stem cell biology. Dr. Chou joined Wadsworth Center as a research scientist in November 2008.