The Stem Cell Center at The Burnham Institute

描述（申请人提供）：人胚胎干细胞（hESC）在基础人类发育生物学研究中具有显著的潜力。该项目的主要目标是建立伯纳姆干细胞中心，以促进人胚胎干细胞基础生物学的合作研究，并鼓励新的研究人员进入该领域。该中心将使新的和建立的研究人员开发人胚胎干细胞的效用作为一个模型系统的各种生物和医学问题。设立该中心的建议有两个具体目标。对于目标1，我们将建立一个共享的核心实验室，为区域研究人员提供最先进的设备和专家支持，并提供hESC方法的培训。核心计划将紧紧围绕具体目标，提供技术支持和专业知识，开发新技术，并培训新的调查人员。核心项目包括（1）细胞培养和维护，（2）细胞表征，（3）高通量分析技术开发，以及（4）数据共享和培训。这些程序将使用NIH登记细胞系WA 01、WA 09和WA 14。为了鼓励新的研究者和合作，该中心将共同负责每年为期十天的NIH赞助的T15 hESC技术培训课程，为访问科学家提供为期2-3天的培训课程，赞助一个网站分享关于hESC的信息，每年举办两次科学和伦理研讨会，并支持南加州干细胞联盟的月度会议。目标2是赞助利用hESC独特潜力的有竞争力的试点项目。我们将支持四个早期阶段，假设驱动的试点项目，解决hESC生物学的基本问题。这些试点项目包括分化的化学诱导剂的研究，分化的表观遗传控制，开发新的高分辨率真实的时间成像技术，在体外研究hESC，和hESC自我更新的分子和发育控制。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC) have remarkable potential for studies of fundamental human developmental biology. The principal goal of this project is to establish the Burnham Stem Cell Center to facilitate collaborative research in the basic biology of hESC and encourage new researchers to enter the field. The Center will enable new and established investigators to develop the utility of hESC as a model system for a diverse range of biological and medical problems. The proposal for the Center has two specific aims. For Aim 1, we will establish a shared core laboratory that provides state-of-art equipment and expert support for area investigators and training in hESC methods. Core programs will be tightly focused on specific goals to provide technical support and expertise, develop new technologies, and train new investigators. The Core Programs are (1) Cell Culture and Maintenance, (2) Cell Characterization, (3) High Throughput Analysis Technology Development, and (4) Data Sharing and Training. These programs will use NIH Registry Cell lines WA01, WA09, and WA14. To encourage new investigators and collaborations, the Center will share responsibility for an annual ten-day NIH-sponsored T15 training course in hESC technology, provide 2-3 day training courses for visiting scientists, sponsor a website for sharing information about hESC, host scientific and ethics symposia twice a year, and support the monthly meetings of the Southern California Stem Cell Consortium. Aim 2 is to sponsor competitive pilot projects that take advantage of the unique potential of hESC. We will support four early-phase, hypothesis-driven pilot projects that address fundamental questions of hESC biology. These pilot projects include investigations of chemical inducers of differentiation, epigenetic controls of differentiation, development of novel high-resolution real time imaging technology to study hESCs in vitro, and molecular and developmental controls of hESC self-renewal.