The use and generation of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS)-generated cell lines has increased exponentially. The possibility of generating patient-derived iPSC lines followed by differentiation into desired cell types has the promise to provide new, groundbreaking insights into disease pathology, genetic aetiologies and can facilitate the development of therapeutic approaches.
The iPSC Training Facility at the Brain Center Rudolf Magnus provides researchers with the opportunity to develop and execute the core skills and competences required to successfully reprogram patient cells into pluripotent, well-characterised iPSC lines. While conducting the necessary biological techniques themselves, guest researchers will be guided through the process and supplied with the required knowledge and basic materials. In addition to te reprogramming platform, the possibility to differentiate iPSC lines into neural lineages is also being offered in the facility, as is genome editing using CRISPR/CAS technology.
The iPSC training Facility is located in the Stratum building of the UMC Utrecht within the Department of Translational Neuroscience and is headed by Prof. dr. Jeroen Pasterkamp. The iPSC Training Facility is financially supported by the Brain Center Rudolf Magnus (UMC Utrecht). If you are interested in starting an iPSC project in our facility please contact us for more information.
Services
Reprogramming and characterization
At the iPSC Training Facility we can assist you in reprogramming (patient) fibroblasts into iPSC lines using lentiviral vectors and with expansion of these cells. All cell lines will be tested for mycoplasma upon entering our facility and from than on every other week. Following generation of iPSC lines they can be characterised for the expression of pluripotency markers using immunohistochemistry and qPCR.
Clone maintenance and cryopreservation
After reprogramming the acquired iPSC lines can be maintained in culture. The iPSC Training Facility offers cryopreservation for all iPSC lines that are generated in the facility.
Differentiation and genetic manipulation
At the iPSC Training Facility we can assist in the differentiation of iPSC lines into specific types of cells, such as motor neurons or glia. Genetic manipulation of iPSCs is also possible using CRISPR/CAS technology.