Manufacturing solutions for high value induced pluripotent stem cell products (MS-iPS)

The project aims to develop the standards of practice and testing systems that will allow research on stem cells to be translated into the clinic. The primary focus is the use of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, but the project outputs are expected to be applicable to other types of cells, including embryonic stem (ES) cells. The team will have the following roles within the project:1. To provide the methodologies to undertake systematic and comprehensive DNA methylation analysis in cell populations.2. To generate and analyse DNA methylation profiles in different cell populations that have been characterized with respect to their 'quality' i.e. stability and differentiation potential.The above approaches will allow the project members to correlate different cell characteristics with DNA methylation patterns. With further development, these discoveries will form the basis of new assays and tests that are used in the production of therapeutically competent cells.