Derivation of Oligodendrocytes from iPSCs
Stem cell research is at the vanguard of modern regenerative medicine and adult stem cells are envisaged as a potential source of personalized organ repair. We are particularly interested in the derivation and characterization of mature, functional oligodendrocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and also the use of pluripotent cell-based models of oligodendrocyte differentiation to decipher the role of miRNAs in regulation of myelination. The ultimate aim is to make this research translationally feasible by optimizing differentiation protocols to obtain oligodendrocytes with myelination capabilities in vivo in our rat models of spinal cord injury.