Personalized Parkinson's cell therapy using patient-derived stem cells
Official title: Human iPSC-Based Personalized Cell Therapy of PD
Funded at Mclean Hospital · NIH-11323114 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project develops personalized therapies that use a patient's own induced pluripotent stem cells to replace lost dopamine neurons in people with Parkinson's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mclean Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Belmont, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $689,100 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS129188-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11323114 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease who are willing to provide tissue samples and, in later phases, consider a cell-transplant procedure, typically adults.
✕Less likely to help
People without Parkinson's disease, those with advanced dementia or medical conditions that prevent surgery, or people unwilling to donate tissue or undergo follow-up would likely not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to take cells from people with Parkinson's disease, reprogram them into clinical-grade induced pluripotent stem cells, and turn those into midbrain dopamine neurons for transplant. The team has developed chemical methods to remove leftover undifferentiated cells that could form tumors and new reprogramming techniques to make safer cells. They test these personalized cells in lab models and animal models of Parkinson's before moving toward human treatment. The approach is designed to avoid the need for long-term immune suppression by using each patient's own cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could restore lost dopamine-producing neurons and improve motor symptoms while avoiding long-term immune suppression.
How similar studies have gone: Similar cell-transplant approaches have shown promise in animal models and in limited early human trials, but fully personalized iPSC-based therapies remain experimental.
Where this research is happening
-
Mclean Hospital
Belmont, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Kwang-Soo — Mclean Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kim, Kwang-Soo
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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.