How genetic differences shape the process of turning adult cells into stem cells
Leveraging genetic variation to dissect gene regulatory networks of reprogramming to pluripotency
This project is looking at how natural genetic differences change the steps cells go through when they are reset into pluripotent stem cells, to help guide better stem-cell methods.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11136562 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will take adult human cells and reprogram them back into induced pluripotent stem cells using the four classic factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, cMyc). They will collect single-cell multi-omic data—including chromatin accessibility (ATAC-seq) and gene expression—at key time points during the reprogramming process. By comparing cells from different donors, the team will use natural genetic differences as a way to see which regulatory connections drive successful or stalled reprogramming. Computational models of gene regulatory networks will be built to map how transcription factors and chromatin changes coordinate the cell-fate switch.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who are able and willing to donate tissue or blood samples (healthy volunteers or patients with diverse genetic backgrounds) could be candidates for providing the cells used in this research.
Not a fit: Patients looking for immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to benefit directly because this is laboratory research into basic cell biology, not a therapeutic trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make generation of patient-specific stem cells more reliable and inform personalized approaches to regenerative therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Making iPSCs with the OSKM factors is well established, but combining donor genetic variation with single-cell multi-omics to map the regulatory steps of reprogramming is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Luo, Chongyuan — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Luo, Chongyuan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.