Qualification of pluripotent stem cells

Scientific and ethical qualification of pluripotent stem cells for European research

Presenting Author: Dr Andreas Kurtz, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

>> SEE SLIDES HERE <<

ABSTRACT

Human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells are powerful tools that allow for a broad range of research including the development of personalized toxicity testing. It is therefore important to have access to available lines and implement strict and transparent scientific and ethical qualification for these lines. The human pluripotent stem cell registry (hPSCreg), originally established to provide clarity on the human embryonic stem cell (hESC) landscape, provides access to diverse pluripotent stem cell lines available from multiple resources on a global scale. The hPSCreg annotates registered lines with scientific information and data in a user-friendly way. To register, a set of minimal criteria must be fulfilled in order to assess the scientific and ethical provenance of a line. Specifications and inclusion of new and additional annotations is an ongoing process, which has to anticipate the directions, in which the field and the application of the lines grow. Thus, feedback with the community and close user-interaction are essential to maintain value of the stem cell resource.

SPEAKER'S BIOGRAPHY

Dr Andreas Kurtz

Dr Andreas KurtzA stem cell biologist with a broad range of experience in cell-focused databases, ethics, translational medicine and teaching, Andreas is participating in and co-ordinating several related projects. He is head of the Laboratory for Stem Cell Research and Knowledge Management at BCRT and holds a faculty position at Seoul National University.