INDUVIR · Improved gene transfer system to iPS cells in mouse

The scientific aim of InduVir is to produce novel comparative information on the generation, maintenance and characteristics of iPS cells in mouse and on their differentiation towards different, especially cardiac lineages. In InduVir we are aiming to develop a novel system, by using removable transposons and polycistronic, deletable lentiviruses and therefore significantly reduce the risk of malignant transformations associated with conventional iPS technologies. Technical focus will be developing a novel and potentially patentable technology in Europe for reprogramming somatic cells to an embryonic state, which have a excellent potential for future cell based therapy. InduVir will also develop methods for targeted differentiation of the iPS cells to cardiac cells. We expect to get novel information on pathways and transcriptional networks that regulate differentiation and lineage specification. The differentiated cardiac tissues would provide superior tools for pharmacological studies or high-throughput screening. IPS technology has the great potential to generate patient and disease specific stem cells and derivates, yet it lacks many of the technical, ethical and legal issues associated with human ES cell research including therapeutic cloning.The information generated by these studies will contribute to stem cell therapy and modern regenerative medicine.