Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

How can we replace diseased or damaged tissue? The field of tissue engineering can meet this demand by producing replacements for tissue and organs that no longer function properly. Specifically, embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be induced to produce any cell type found in the body and thus these cells provide a means for constructing tissues. The recent development of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells provides an exciting alternative to the use of ES cells. IPS cells are generated from mature cells, such as skin, allowing for generation of pluripotent cell lines without the use of embryos. Directing the differentiation of these cells into the desired cell types poses a major challenge. Using different methods of assessing stem cell differentiation ensures that undesirable cell types as well as undifferentiated stem cells are not present in the final product. Unwanted mature cells could cause improper function of the tissue while the presence of undifferentiated stem cells can lead to tumor formation. The proposed facility contains the necessary equipment to evaluate cells based on shape, gene expression and protein expression and is essential for enabling my research and the training of highly qualified personnel in the field of tissue engineering. My work focuses on developing artificial tissues through the use of ES and iPS cells. This facility will provide the University of Victoria with high throughput facilities for screening stem cell behavior, allowing for a better understanding of the processes controlling differentiation. The facilities detailed in this proposal will allow for effective, quantitative characterization of the cell types produced from stem cells, leading to the production of potential therapies and will establish a research program in tissue engineering at the University of Victoria, contributing to the university's efforts in Biomedical Engineering. Additionally, faculty from the Division of Medical Sciences have expressed interest in using the proposed facilities, promoting collaboration between the medical school and the Mechanical Engineering department.