The purpose of this workshop was to provide an opportunity for NIGMS grantees conducting human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research to report on their recent progress, to exchange information, and to identify challenges and opportunities unique to this emerging area of research. The workshop brought together a wide spectrum of scientists working with hESC that reflects the breadth of basic research supported by NIGMS. There were 78 participants: 57 NIGMS grantees (members of six P20 Exploratory Centers, R01 awardees and recipients of stem cell supplements to research grants), 4 outside speakers and 17 NIH staff members.
The diversity of research advances presented reflected the significant progress that has been made in understanding the basic biology of hESC since the previous meeting in April 2005. A number of presentations were devoted to advances made in developing in vitro culture conditions that support self-renewal, pluripotency and normal karyotypes, or that support the differentiation of hESC into specific cell types. The effects of different media additives, such as short chain fatty acids and specific growth factors, on hESC self-renewal and differentiation were presented, as was the application of microfluidics to achieve a more physiological culture environment.
Several researchers reported on their use of new approaches, such as high content small molecule screens, to identify factors that support hESC differentiation into beating cardiomyocytes, neural retinal cells, hepatocytes and cells of the erythroid and myeloid lineages. Significant progress was evident in the number of cell types that now can be derived. Among the technology developments described were the use of the Rosa26 locus to facilitate gene targeting for ubiquitously expressed genes, and the use of the adeno-associated virus as a gene targeting vector. New methodology to visually track cell movements, using automated microscopy and FRET-based biosensors, was demonstrated.
A number of speakers described their work on the basic biology of hESCs, particularly on the characterization of the molecular signatures of hESCs or their differentiated progeny. These included genome-wide mapping studies to localize DNA and epigenetic modifications that either maintain hESC pluripotency or occur in differentiated hESCs. High resolution genome-wide efforts to localize critical transcription factors also were described. Other reports focused on the post-transcriptional regulation of the cell cycle in hESCs by microRNAs and on the use of mass spectrometry to identify post-translational modifications in the phosphoproteome of differentiated hESCs.
Following the scientific presentations, there was a discussion of the current status of intellectual property (IP) issues that affect hESC research. A representative of the Wisconsin Research Alumni Foundation (WARF) and a representative from the NIH Office of Technology Transfer identified recent progress in lowering IP barriers to the use of hESC.
The final session was devoted to an open discussion of recent progress and continuing challenges. Participants noted the value of the NIGMS Exploratory P20 Centers in supporting research on the most basic properties of hESC, and in establishing an institutional infrastructure that enables more scientists to work with hESC. Attendees expressed the hope that these Exploratory Centers could serve as a model for further support of basic hESC research by other Institutes of the NIH. There was a general consensus that in the short term, hESC research must focus on fundamental knowledge of stem cell biology as a prerequisite to more translational studies. Participants also noted the challenge of learning to work with hESC, especially for chemists and scientists from other non-biological disciplines. The two day meeting was characterized by lively questions and discussions and provided a collegial opportunity for the participating investigators to develop new collaborations.
Carl BakerNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletaland Skin Diseases6701 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 800Bethesda, MD 20892-4872Phone: 301-594-5017Email: ccb@nih.gov
Sriram BandiAlbert Einstein College of Medicine1300 Morris Park AvenueUllmann Building 623Bronx, NY 10461Phone: 718-430-2007Email: sbandi@aecom.yu.edu
Jeremy BergNational Institute of General Medical Sciences45 Center Drive, MSC 6200Bethesda, MD 20892-6200Phone: 301-594-2172Email: bergj@mail.nih.gov
Travis BerggrenWiCell Research InstituteP.O. Box 7365Madison, WI 53707Email: travis@wicell.org
Anthony BlauUniversity of Washington1959 Northeast Pacific StreetK260 Health Sciences BuildingSeattle, WA 98195Phone: 206-685-6873Email: tblau@u.washington.edu
Eric BouhassiraAlbert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University1300 Morris Park AvenueUllmann Building, Room 903Bronx, New York 10461Phone: 718-430-2188Email: bouhassi@aecom.yu.edu
Henry ChangDivision of Blood Diseases and Resources National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute6701 Rockledge DriveBethesda, MD 20817Phone: 301-435-0080Email: changh@nih.gov
Craig ChristiansonWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation614 Walnut StreetP.O. Box 7365Madison, WI 53707-7365Phone: 608-261-1954Email: cchristianson@warf.org
Laura ColeStem Cell Task Force National Institute on Deafness and OtherCommunication Disorders31 Center Drive, Room 3C27Bethesda, MD 20892Phone: 301-496-9515Email: colel@nidcd.nih.gov
Joshua CoonUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison1101 University Avenue, Room 3309Madison, WI 53706Phone: 608-263-1718Email: jcoon@chem.wisc.edu
Sunita D'SouzaMount Sinai School of Medicine20 Erwin CourtStaten Island, NY 10306Phone: 212-659-8251Email: dsouzs01@mssm.edu
Gen-Sheng FengBurnham Institute for Medical Research10901 North Torrey Pines RoadLa Jolla, CA 92037Phone: 858-795-5265Email: gfeng@burnham.org
Deborah FrenchMount Sinai School of Medicine1425 Madison Avenue, Box 1496New York, NY 10029Phone: 212-241-8286Email: debbie.french@mssm.edu
Jose Garcia-PerezUniversity of Michigan Medical School4909 Buhl BuildingAnn Arbor, MI 48109 Phone: 734-615-0457Email: jegp@umich.edu
Saghi GhaffariMount Sinai School of MedicineOne Gustave L. Levy Place , Box 1496Icahn Building, Room 13-23BNew York, NY 10029Phone: 212-659-8271Email: saghi.ghaffari@mssm.edu
David GilbertCollege of MedicineFlorida State University1115 West Call Street, Room 1350Tallahassee, FL 32306-4300Phone: 850-645-7583Email: gilbert@bio.fsu.edu
Judith GreenbergNational Institute of General Medical Sciences45 Center Drive, MSC 6200Building 45, Room 2As10Bethesda, MD 20892Phone: 301-594-0943Email: greenbej@nigms.nih.gov
Sanjeev GuptaAlbert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University1300 Morris Park AvenueUllmann Building, Room 625Bronx, NY 10461Phone: 718-430-3309Email: sanjvgupta@pol.net
Ann HaganNational Institute of General Medical Sciences45 Center DriveMSC 6200, Room 2an.24hBethesda, MD 20892-6200Phone: 301-594-4499Email: hagana@nigms.nih.gov
Susan HaynesNational Institute of General Medical Sciences45 Center Drive, MSC 6200Bethesda, MD 20892-6200Phone: 301-594-0943Email: hayness@nigms.nih.gov
Els HenckaertsMount Sinai School of MedicineOne Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1496New York, NY 10029Phone: 212-659-8247Email: els.henckaerts@mssm.edu
Rhoda HirschAlbert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University1300 Morris Park AvenueUllmann Building, Room 925Bronx, NY 10461Phone: 718-430-3604Email: rhirsch@aecom.yu.edu
Tanya HoodbhoyCenter for Scientific ReviewOne Center DriveMSC 0177, Room 259ABethesda, MD 20892Email: tanyah@mail.nih.gov
Xiao HuDepartment of Medicine and HematologyAlbert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University1300 Morris Park AvenueUllmann Building, Room 905Bronx, NY 10461Email: xhu@aecom.yu.edu
Rosemarie HunzikerNational Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering6707 Democracy Boulevard, Room 235Bethesda, MD 20892Phone: 301-451-1609Email: hunzikerr@mail.nih.gov
Soren ImpeyOregon Health and Sciences University3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park RoadBasic Research Building, Room 753, L321Portland, OR 97239-3098Phone: 503-494-7540Email: sorenimpey@gmail.com
Stefan IrionMcEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine101 College Street, Room 8-701MaRS CentreToronto Medical Discovery TowerToronto, Ontario M5G 1L7Phone: 416-581-7711Email: stefan.irion@uhnresearch.ca
Rebecca JohnsonNational Institute of General Medical Sciences45 Center Drive, Room 3AN-18Bethesda, MD 20892Phone: 301-594-2771Email: johnsore@mail.nih.gov
Igor KatkovBurnham Institute for Medical Research10901 North Torrey Pines RoadBuilding 7, Room 7-105La Jolla, CA 92037Phone: 858-231-0755Email: prodvincell@hotmail.com
Gordon KellerUniversity Health Network101 College Street, Room 8-706Toronto Medical Discovery TowerToronto, Ontario M5G 1L7Phone: 416-581-7694Email: gkeller@uhnresearch.caMarion KennedyMcEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine101 College Street, Room 8-701MaRS CentreToronto Medical Discovery TowerToronto, Ontario M5G 1L7Phone: 416-581-7708Email: mkennedy@uhnresearch.ca
Nobuaki KikyoStem Cell Institute University of Minnesota2001 6th Street, SERoom 2-216, MTRF, Mail Code 2873Minneapolis, MN 55455Phone: 612-624-0498Email: kikyo001@umn.edu
Enko KiprilovAlbert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University1925 Eastchester Road, Apartment 16FBronx, NY 10461Phone: 718-213-8567Email: ekiprilo@aecom.yu.edu
Mark LevensteinWiCell Research InstituteP.O. Box 7365Madison, WI 53707Phone: 608-262-4568Email: markl@wicell.org
Fred LevineBurnham Institute for Medical Research10901 North Torrey Pines RoadLa Jolla, CA 92037Phone: 858-534-5979Email: flevine@ucsd.edu
Michael LindenMount Sinai School of MedicineOne Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1496New York, NY 10029Phone: 212-659-8278Email: michael.linden@mssm.edu
Jeanne LoringBurnham Institute for Medical Research10901 North Torrey Pines RoadLa Jolla, CA 92037Phone: 858-795-5058Email: jloring@burnham.org
Nadya LumelskyNational Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research45 Center Drive, Room 4An29JBethesda, MD 20892Phone: 301-594-7703Email: nadyal@nidcr.nih.gov
Danith LyCarnegie Mellon University4400 Fifth AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15213Phone: 412-268-4010Email: dly@andrew.cmu.edu
Barbara MallonNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke37 Convent Drive, Room 1000Bethesda, MD 20892Phone: 301-402-8246Email: mallonb@mail.nih.gov
Mark MercolaBurnham Institute for Medical Research10901 North Torrey Pines RoadLa Jolla, CA 92037Phone: 858-795-5242Email: mmercola@burnham.org
Jamie NewmanWhitehead Institute for Biomedical Research Massachusetts Institute of Technology6 Liberty Avenue, #2Somerville, MA 02144Phone: 617-258-7822Email: newman@wi.mit.edu
Emmanuel OlivierAlbert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University1300 Morris Park AvenueUllmann Building, Room 923bBronx, NY 10461Phone: 718-430-3119Email: eolivier@aecom.yu.edu
Sue O'SheaUniversity of Michigan109 Zina Pitcher PlaceBiomedical Sciences Research Building, Room 3061Ann Arbor, MI 48109Phone: 734-763-2550Email: oshea@umich.edu
Lil PabonUniversity of Washington815 Mercer Street, Room 412Seattle, WA 98109Phone: 206-616-8402Email: lmp@u.washington.edu
Guangjin PanUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison425 Henry Mall4462 Genetics–Biotechnology Center BuildingMadison, WI 53705Phone: 608-890-0186Email: gpan@primate.wisc.edu
Jack ParentUniversity of Michigan109 Zina Pitcher PlaceBiomedical Sciences Research Building, Room 5021Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200Phone: 734-763-3776Email: parent@umich.edu
Jeffrey PriceBurnham Institute for Medical Research10901 North Torrey Pines RoadLa Jolla, CA 92037Phone: 858-646-3162Email: jprice@burnham.org
Caihong QiuAlbert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University1300 Morris Park AvenueBronx, NY 10461Email: cqiu@aecom.yu.edu
Prithi RajanBurnham Institute for Medical Research10901 North Torrey Pines RoadLa Jolla, CA 92037Email: prajan@burnham.org
Oliver RandoUniversity of Massachusetts Medical School364 Plantation StreetWorcester, MA 01605Phone: 508-856-8879Email: oliver.rando@umassmed.edu
Thomas RandoStanford University Medical CenterRoom A-343Stanford, CA 94305-5235Phone: 650-849-0444Email: rando@stanford.edu
Thomas RehUniversity of Washington School of MedicineI-500 Health Sciences Building, Box 357420Seattle, WA 98195Phone: 206-543-8043Email: tomreh@u.washington.edu
Angie RizzinoUniversity of Nebraska Medical Center986805 Nebraska Medical CenterOmaha, NE 68198-6805Phone: 402-559-6338Email: arizzino@unmc.edu
Mark RohrbaughOffice of the Director National Institutes of Health6011 Executive Boulevard, Suite 325Rockville, MD 20852Phone: 301-594-7700Email: mr28k@nih.gov
Hannele Ruohola-BakerUniversity of Washington School of Medicine1959 Northeast Pacific StreetHealth Sciences Building J-591, Box 357350Seattle, WA 98195-7350Phone: 206-543-8468Email: hannele@u.washington.edu
David RussellUniversity of WashingtonBox 357720Seattle, WA 98195-7720Phone: 206-616-4562Email: drussell@u.washington.edu
Kirstie SaltsmanNational Institute of General Medical Sciences603 Hastings RoadTowson, MD 21286Phone: 301-496-7301Email: saltsmank@mail.nih.gov
Maja SalvaUniversity of WashingtonBox 357710Seattle, WA 98195Phone: 206-543-2952Email: zmaja@u.washington.edu
Carl SchildkrautAlbert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University1300 Morris Park AvenueBronx, NY 10461Phone: 718-430-2097Email: schildkr@aecom.yu.edu
Paul SheehyNational Institute of General Medical Sciences45 Center Drive, Room 2AN.24GBuilding 45, MSC 6200Bethesda, MD 20892-6200Phone: 301-594-4499Email: sheehyp@nigms.nih.gov
Beth-Anne SieberNational Institute of Mental Health6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7186Bethesda, MD 20892Phone: 301-443-5288Email: bsieber@mail.nih.gov
Arthur SkoultchiAlbert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University1300 Morris Park AvenueBronx, NY 10461Phone: 718-430-2169Email: skoultch@aecom.yu.edu
Gary SmithUniversity of Michigan1150 West Medical Center Drive, 6428 Medical Science IAnn Arbor, MI 48109Phone: 734-764-4134Email: smithgd@umich.edu
Evan SnyderBurnham Institute for Regenerative Medicine10901 North Torrey Pines RoadLa Jolla, CA 92037Phone: 858-646-3158Email: esnyder@burnham.org
Lesley StewartNational Institute on Deafness and Other Communication DisordersClaude D Pepper Bldg, Room 3C2731 Center DriveBethesda, MD 20892Phone: 301-496-2691Email: stewartle@od.nih.gov
Alexey TerskikhBurnham Institute for Medical Research10901 North Torrey Pines RoadLa Jolla, CA 92037Phone: 858-646-3624Email: terskikh@burnham.org
James ThomsonUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison425 Henry MallGenetics–Biotechnology Center BuildingMadison, WI 53706Phone: 608-263-3585Email: thomson@primate.wisc.edu
Olga UjhellyAlbert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University1300 Morris Park Avenue, Chanin 402Bronx, NY 10461Phone: 718-430-2168Email: oujhelly@aecom.yu.edu
Fei WangNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases6701 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 800Bethesda, MD 20850Phone: 301-594-5055Email: wangf@mail.nih.gov
Hsien-Yu WangDepartment of Physiology and Biophysics State University of New York at Stony BrookBasic Sciences Tower, T6, Room 140Stony Brook, NY 11794-8661Phone: 631-444-3489Email: wangh@pharm.stonybrook.edu
Carol WareUniversity of Washington1959 Northeast Pacific StreetHealth Sciences Building, T-140Box 357190Seattle, WA 98195-7190Phone: 206-616-5143Email: cware@u.washington.edu
Baldwin WongNational Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders31 Center Drive, Room 3C-27Bethesda, MD 20892-2320Phone: 301-496-2426Email: bw99s@nih.govRichard YoungWhitehead Institute for Biomedical Research; Massachusetts Institute of Technology9 Cambridge CenterCambridge, MA 02142-1479Phone: 617-258-5218Email: young@wi.mit.edu
Junying YuUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison425 Henry MallGenetics–Biotechnology Center BuildingMadison, WI 53706Email: jyu@primate.wisc.edu
Marion ZatzNational Institute of General Medical Sciences45 Center Drive, MSC 6200Bethesda, MD 20892-6200Phone: 301-594-0943Email: zatzm@nigms.nih.gov
Nadja ZeltnerMount Sinai School of Medicine26 49th Street, Apartment 3Weehawken, NJ 07086Phone: 212-659-8247Email: nadja.zeltner@mssm.edu
Xin ZhangMount Sinai School of Medicine1425 Madison Avenue, Room 13-76New York, NY 10029Phone: 212-659-8266Email: xin.zhang@mssm.edu
