Professor Alice Pebay, VIC: "Modelling neurodegeneration using patient induced pluripotent stem cells"
Speaker :
Professor Alice Pebay
Department of Surgery, Melbourne Medical School, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience | School of Biomedical Sciences
The University of Melbourne, VIC
Title: "Modelling neurodegeneration using patient induced pluripotent stem cells"
Abstract: The difficulty in obtaining tissue from the eye or brain of living people is a major barrier to the understanding and development of new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide a powerful means by which to investigate the pathogenesis of disease, as these cells can be differentiated into relevant cell types of interest for disease modelling, drug screening, and understanding of fundamental biology. Yet, for complex diseases, which involve various genetic and environmental factors, large numbers of samples are necessary to robustly confirm biological effects. To enable large-scale iPSC-disease modelling studies and standardisation of iPSC culture, we have established protocols for automation of stem cell culture that ensure sufficient throughput and standardisation of iPSC culture with minimal variation. Similarly, for monogenic conditions, that are amenable to gene-editing and thus require smaller sample size for disease modelling, we combine CRISPR/Cas9- editing with iPSCs, to generate isogenic iPSCs lines, allowing a robust in vitro model of disease. Both large-scale and gene editing approaches will be illustrated here.
About Neuroscience Seminars
Neuroscience seminars at the QBI play a major role in the advancement of neuroscience in the Asia-Pacific region. The primary goal of these seminars is to promote excellence in neuroscience through the exchange of ideas, establishing new collaborations and augmenting partnerships already in place.
Seminars in the QBI Auditorium are held on Wednesdays at 12-1pm, which are sometimes simulcast on Zoom (with approval from the speaker). We also occassionally hold seminars from international speakers via Zoom. The days and times of these seminars will vary depending on the time zone of the speaker. Please see each seminar listed below for details.
