Short-term course in human embryonic stem cell culture techniques

描述（由申请人提供）：人胚胎干细胞（hESC）是来自胚泡的多能细胞系。由于其独特的特性，这些细胞提供了一个独特的新的研究工具，具有广泛的临床应用可能。世界各地都投入了巨大的努力来鼓励这些细胞用于研究目的。该提案的主要目的是提供hESC培养方法的短期课程。这些课程旨在确保在毕业生实验室成功建立hESC集落。在干细胞生物学单位/神经科学实验室/神经科学学院/约翰霍普金斯大学/马里兰州工作人员的协助下，每年至少在美国和以色列举办四次为期一周的课程。我们的目标是为课程提供两种替代形式：D A小组课程，最多12名参与者，其中包括讲座，小组讨论和hESC主要培养方案的实践。D在我们海法的设施中进行的个人课程，主要基于实践。将开始与每个课程毕业生定期进行后续沟通，以提供进一步的支持和指导。因此，课程毕业生在建立hESC集落时将获得密切的反馈，而教师将有机会评估课程的成功率。在过去的两年里，我们成功地举办了五个课程，向69名学生介绍了hESC培养技术。在前三个课程中，65%的参与者在他们的实验室成功建立了hESC培养。因此，该指导计划将进一步鼓励基于hESC的分布和研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are pluripotent cell lines derived from blastocysts. Due to their unique characteristics these cells offer a unique new research tool with widespread possible clinical applications. Great efforts are invested throughout the word to encourage these cells availability for research purposes. The main aim of this proposal is to offer short-term courses in hESC culturing methods. The courses are designed to ensure a successful establishment of hESCs colony at the graduates' laboratories. At least four one-week courses per year will take place in the United States and in Israel with the assistance of the staff of Stem Cell Biology Unit/Laboratory of Neuroscience/Faculty of Neuroscience/ John Hopkins University/Maryland. We aim to offer two alternative formats for the course: D A group course for up to 12 participants, which will include lectures, group discussions and hands-on practice of the major culturing protocols of hESCs. D An individual course, taking place in our facilities in Haifa, which will be based mainly on hands on practice. A periodical follow-up communication with each course graduate will be initiated to provide further support and guidance. Thus course graduates will enjoy close feed-back when establishing the hESC colonies while instructors will have the opportunity to estimate the success rate of the course. During the last two years, we successfully conducted five courses, introducing hESC culturing techniques to 69 students. Out of the first three courses, 65% of attendees have successfully established hESC cultures at their laboratories. Thus, this guiding program will further encourage the distribution and research based on hESC.