Validation of functionalized transcription factors as a novel cell culture supplements

据全球工业分析公司报道，细胞培养基和补充剂的市场估计每年为60亿美元。该项目的总体目标是验证由iProgen Biotech开发的一种新型细胞内蛋白质传递技术功能化的转录因子组成的新型蛋白质疗法，用于细胞培养补充剂。该项目是加拿大生物医学工程研究主席、维多利亚大学生物医学工程副教授Stephanie Willerth博士与生物技术公司iProgen Biotech成功合作的延续。我们之前的合作验证了一种名为IASCL1的新型蛋白质疗法，该疗法可作为细胞培养补充物，促进人类诱导多能干细胞向神经元的分化，神经元是在中枢神经系统中发现的细胞。我们也有很有希望的初步数据，IASCL可以直接将称为成纤维细胞的皮肤细胞重编程为神经元样细胞。本项目将进一步表征IASCL1将成纤维细胞重编程为神经元的能力，以及其他新型转录因子（包括ISOX2、IBRN2、IMYT1L和INGN2）在重编程过程中的作用。

The market for cell culture media and supplements is estimated to be $6 billion per year as reported by Global Industry Analysts Inc. The overall goal of this project is to validate novel protein therapeutics consisting of transcription factors functionalized with a novel intracellular protein delivery technology developed by iProgen Biotech for use as cell culture supplements. This project represents a continuation of a successful collaboration between Dr. Stephanie Willerth, a Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Engineering and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Victoria, and the biotechnology company - iProgen Biotech. Our previous collaboration validated a novel protein therapeutic called IASCL1 for use as a cell culture supplement that promoted the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into neurons, which are cells found in the central nervous system. We also have promising preliminary data that IASCL can directly reprogram skin cells called fibroblasts into neuron-like cells. This project will further characterize ability of IASCL1 to reprogram fibroblasts into neurons as well as characterize the effects of other novel transcription factors, including ISOX2, IBRN2, IMYT1L, and INGN2, on the reprogramming process.