Research Update: Induced pluripotent stem cells

This past year BRF helped sponsor a research fellow, Sebastian Bernabe, in Andulacia, Spain’s new stem cell research center.  Formerly a research fellow with Foundation Trustee Dr. Jose Cibelli at Michigan State University, Dr. Bernabe joined the spinal cord research team developed with Spanish scientists Dr. Cibelli and Dr. Philip Horner.  The goal of the research was to test the safety of another innovative stem cell, “induced pluripotent stem cells,” or IPS cells. These cells are derived from skin biopsies and were used to treat spinal cord injury in a rat model system.

The  transplant was performed Oct 28, 2015 after several years of research. It will take months before results are known.