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Institute for Regenerative Medicine • IREM

Core Facilities (iPSCore)

Fig1

The discovery of so-called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs, i.e. embryonic-like cells created from ordinary body cells) by Prof. S. Yamanaka at the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, has ignited a new era of cell-based therapy initiatives and rewarded Yamanaka and his coworkers with the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2012. iPSC-technology has experienced tremendous progress in the field of disease modelling, early drug discovery and regenerative medicine.

Zurich as a hub for life sciences has increasingly adopted this research field and initiated powerful application of these technologies, such as the combination of iPSC and genome editing or three-dimensional organoids. Also, the IREM has investigated in the field of iPSC in order to move this technology closer to clinics. Therefore, a kick-off meeting in 2017 with CiRA was the starting point of a seminal collaboration. Several active scientific exchanges of visiting scientists from both institutions have fostered these close bonds.

The mission of iPSCore is to support basic and translational research by facilitating all aspects of iPSC technology including the derivation, differentiation and distribution of human iPSC lines.

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The MISSION of iPSCore is to support basic and translational research by facilitatingall aspects of iPSC technology including the derivation, differentiation and distribution of human iPSC lines. The facility provides scientists with state-of-the-art protocols and techniques for proper handling and manipulation of human pluripotent stem cells.

Furthermore, the iPSCore organizes several hands-on training courses of standardized pluripotent stem cell culture techniques. We provide a forum to disseminate state-of-the-art iPSC research, build relationships with one-another, renew and establish collaborations and strategies. In fact, nowadays iPSC lines can be easily ordered online. Nevertheless, either researchers are limited by the quantity, price or either in some cases by the quality of the cells (such as containing xenogenic components, no mycoplasma testing etc). For example, in a typical study of a monogenic disorder, a generation of three iPSC clones from three individual patients is minimally required, along with an equivalent number of controls. The generation of these cell lines can be really expensive and time consuming. Therefore, iPSCore offers expertise, instrumentation and support in the area of iPSC.

Quality of iPSC clones will also be controlled by iPSCore to meet current quality standards.

The iPSCore aspires to be the premier Swiss focus for research, training and technology transfer in regenerative medicine.
 

The GOALS of iPSCore are:

  1. To build up a biobank for iPSC.
  2. To serve as a resource for sharing iPSC, technology and knowledge within the UZH and broader scientific community.
  3. To teach and train researchers from UZH and associated institutions.
  4. To collaborate with researchers and other core-facilities from UZH and associated institutions to combine technologies.
  5. To become the technical reference center at UZH regarding iPSC. In the future, we plan to extend our services towards CRISPR genome editing technologies to generate knock-out or knock-in lines for repair or introduction of mutations.


What do we OFFER?

With more than 10 years of expertise in stem cell technologies and as a provider of iPSC-based solutions, iPSCore can develop and manufacture iPSCs very efficiently and successfully. We can use a variety of source material including PBMCs, fibroblasts, cord blood, HSC, MSC, adipose tissue and more. You provide and send in the healthy or diseased material of origin and iPSCore will deliver the product that best fit to the project.

iPSCore also offers soon iPSC genome editing possibilities. We use CRISPR technology to generate the modifications needed.


Contact iPSCore today to learn more!

CONTACT:
iPSCore
Institute for Regenerative Medicine
University of Zurich
Wagistrasse 12
8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
Tel.: +41 (0)44 634 88 67
ipscore@irem.uzh.ch