SCIL > Research program section > Stem Cell Biology Program

Stem Cell Biology Program

In this Program, studies are done under the direction of Dr. C. VERFAILLIE on pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESC), reprogrammed pluripotent cells (iPSC and MAPC) as well as tissue specific stem cells

Stem Cell Biology Program

THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO

  • Gain insights in pluri- versus multi-potentiality
  • Gain insights in de-differentiation processes
  • Gain insights in signals that govern maintenance of stemness, found in the stem cell niche
  • Develop robust methods for lineage specific differentiation, with emphasis on endoderm (beta cell and hepatocyte) and neuroectoderm differentiation
  • Exploit stem cells to study genetic disoreders

Lab members

Postdoctoral Fellows

  • Laura Ordovas, PhD
  • Jeroen Declercq, PhD
  • Martine Geraerts, PhD
  • Anujith Kumar, PhD
  • Yong Li, PhD
  • Karen Pauwelyn MD, PhD
  • Kris Van den Boogaert, PhD

Doctoral Students

  • Rojin Abraham MD
  • Qing Cai, ir
  • Annelies Crabbe, MS
  • Antonio Lo Nigro, MS
  • Philip Roelandt, MD
  • Valerie Roobroeck, MS
  • Kim Van Uytsel, MS
  • Susanna Raitano, MS
  • Abhi Sohni, MS
  • Javed Manesia, MS
  • Sumitava Dastidar, MS
  • Nicholas Rajan, MS

Technicians

Stem cell core:
  • Manja Muijtjens, BS
  • Pieter Berckmans, BS
  • Wendy Vandendries, BS
  • Sumitha Jacob, MD
  • Tineke Notelaers, MS
Human MAPC:
  • Nele Peersman, Ir
  • Lotte Vanbrabant, Ir
Histology:
  • Veerle Vanslembrouck, MS
  • Kristel Eggemont, BS

Administration

  • Nathalie Bruyninck
  • Vicky Raets, Ir
  • Sylvia Sauvage
  • Christina Vochten, BS

Publications

  • Jiang Y, Jahagirdar B, Reinhard L, et al. Pluripotency of mesenchymal stem cells derived from adult marrow. Nature 418:41-9, 2002.
  • Reyes M, Dudek A, B. Jahagirdar, Koodie L, Verfaillie CM. Origin of endothelial progenitors in human post post-natal bone marrow J Clin Invest. 109: 337-346, 2002.
  • Schwartz, RE, Reyes, M, Koodie, et al. Multipotent adult progenitor cells from bone marrow differentiate into functional hepatocyte-like cells. J Clin. Invest. 109, 1291-1302, 2002.
  • Jiang Y, Henderson D, Blackstad M, et al. Neuroectodermal differentiation from mouse multipotent adult progenitor cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100:11854-60, 2003.
  • Lakshmipathy U, Pelacho B, Sudo K, Coucouvanis E, Verfaillie CM. Efficient Transfection of Embryonic and Adult Stem Cells. Stem Cells 22:531-43, 2004. Schwartz R, Linehan J, Painschab M, et al. Defined conditions for development of functional hepatic cells from human embryonic stem cells. Stem Cells 14:643-55, 2005
  • Burns T, Ortiz-González X, Gutiérrez Pérez M, et al. Thymidine analogues are transferred from donor to host cells in the central nervous system. Stem Cells 24:1121-7 2006
  • Ross JJ, Hong Z, Keirstead S, et al. Cytokine specific induction of smooth muscle phenotype and function in multipotent adult progenitor cells. J Clin Invest. 116:3139-49
  • Chase LG, Ulloa-Montoya F, Heremans Y, Kidder BL, Verfaillie CM. Islet-Derived Fibroblast-like Cells are not Derived via Endoderm-Mesoderm Transition from Pdx-1 or Insulin Positive Cells. Rapid Communication, Diabetes 56:3-7, 2007
  • Aranguren X, Clavel C, Luttun A, et al. In vitro and in vivo arterio-venous specification from human multipotent adult progenitor cells. Blood 109:2634-42, 2007.
  • Serafini M, Dylla SJ, Oki M, et al. Complete Lymphohematopoietic Reconstitution by Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells. J Exp Med 204:129-39.
  • Zeng L, Hu O, Wang X et al. Bioenergetic and Bioenergetic and Functional Consequences of Bone Marrow-Derived Multipotent Progenitor Cell Transplantation in Hearts With Postinfarction Left Ventricular Remodeling. Circulation 115 1866-75, 2007
  • Ulloa-Montoya F, Kidder BL, Pauwelyn K, et al. Unique molecular signature of multipotent adult progenitor cells. Genome Biol. 2007 Aug 6;8(8):R163
  • Aranguren X, McCue JD, Xiao-Hong, et al. Undifferentiated Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells functionally improve hind limbs after femoral artery ligation in mice. J Clin Invest. 118:505-514, 2008.
  • Verfaillie CM. Bony endothelium: tumor-mediated transdifferentiation? Cancer Cell. 14:193-4, 2008 .
  • Verfaillie CM. The undoing of differentiation by four defined factors: A big step forward towards generating patient specific pluripotent stem cells. J Hepatol. 2008.
  • Sancho-Bru P, Najimi M, Caruso M, et al. Stem and progenitor cells for liver repopulation: can we standardize the process from bench to bedside? Gut 2009