Research Grants
Characterization of a novel immunodeficient, humanizable, inducible beta cell ablative mouse model for translational research
Sponsor: UW ICTR Novel Methods Pilot Grant Awards, 2022
08/01/22-07/31/23
Interrogating the human islet extracellular matrix niche
Supporting Agency: UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
07/01/19-06/30/2020
The goal of this project is to comprehensively characterize the human islet matrisome and hPSC-derived pancreatic islet-like cluster (PILC) matrisome, and by comparing these data sets we can learn what essential matrix elements are missing in PILCs.
Reversal of Diabetes in Mice by Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Beta Cells
Supporting Agency: State Economic Engagement and Development (SEED) Research Program
07/01/19-06/30/20
The overall goal of the mouse studies described in this aim are three-fold: first, to detect preliminary signs of efficacy with respect to treating diabetes; second, to identify signals in the characteristics of the cell population that may correlate with in vivo functionality of the transplanted ILCs; and third, to permit early detection of tumorigenicity or other adverse events.
Engineering an Invisibility Cloak for Stem Cell Beta Cells for Treating Diabetes
Supporting Agency: Department of Defense
08/01/20-07/30/2025
The overall objective of the proposal is to combine proven abilities to differentiate hPSCs into functional islet-like clusters (hPSC-ILCs) with powerful, novel genome editing technology to generate new hPSC lines overexpressing immunologically relevant molecules capable of downregulating local immune responses and devoid of HLA Class I and Class II cell surface molecules thereby rendering cells invisible to the immune system
Probing the human pancreas and islet matrisome for matrixstem cell-derived islet interactions
Sponsor: UW Wisconsin, Office of Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education
7/1/20-6/30/21