Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Core

Mathew Blurton-Jones, PhD, Professor, Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences

Few discoveries in biology have as great a transformative potential for altering modern medical research as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Given the promise of these cells, the UCI Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center established the iPS Cell Core, led by Dr. Mathew Blurton-Jones, which manages a National Alzheimer’s Disease iPS Cell Bank to share resources with investigators.

iPS cells can be derived from skin and blood samples. Through a minimally invasive procedure, any person, even older adults, can easily donate the skin or blood cells needed to develop iPS cells.

Enhancing our ability to study and understand the impact of disease in human cells in ways not previously possible, iPS cells are special because they are both pluripotent (capable of giving rise to every cell type in the human body) and immortal (allowing robust expansion and unprecedented resource sharing).

Leadership:

• Mathew Blurton-Jones, PhD, Core Leader
• Hayk Davtyan, PhD, Core Investigator

Process of deriving iPS cells