The Diabetes Stem Cell Program

The Diabetes Stem Cell Program (DSCP) is a multi-investigator collaborative effort whose overarching goal is to unite expertise in stem cell biology, genomics, developmental biology of pancreatic islet cells, and transplant immunology in a joint scientific endeavor.
Key objectives of the DSCP include: a) the identification of basic mechanisms that drive the specification of pluripotent stem cells toward the pancreatic islet lineage, b) their translation into more efficient protocols for the ex vivo derivation and functional maturation of pancreatic islet cells and that prevents the development of unwanted cell populations (i.e. non endocrine cells), c) optimization of methods for the assessment of cell differentiation and metabolic analysis, and d) the design of novel technologies that promote cell transplant engraftment and function while preventing immune rejection. Ultimately, our efforts are aimed at developing innovative cell replacement strategies for the treatment of diabetes.