Scientific and Clinical Research
The East of England is home to the UK Stem Cell Bank, based at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control. Its aim is to work with the scientific and clinical community to assure the quality of human stem cell lines used in research and therapy. The Bank provides a repository for stem cell lines of all types, and will be developed to supply well characterised cell lines both for basic research and for the development of clinical applications under appropriate and accredited quality systems. The Bank is funded by the MRC and BBSRC, and the UK’s first human embryonic stem cell line, grown by researchers at King’s College London, was deposited in 2004.
A major contributor to the East of England’s stem cell research activities is Cambridge University's Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research. The Centre, which opened in 2006, is led by Professor Austin Smith, with Professor Fiona Watt as Deputy Director.
Professor Jim Smith, Chair of the Gurdon Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology, has undertaken substantial research into vertebrate development using Xenopus as an experimental model. His group has investigated the components of the signal transduction pathways involved in the differentiation of embryonic tissue into mesoderm, as well as other aspects of early Xenopus growth such as body plan formation.
Professor Azim Surani, also based at the Gurdon Institute, has specific interests in stem cells and epigenetic reprogramming. His work has concentrated on elucidating the mechanism of germ cell specification by investigating the differential repression and expression of various genes in germ and somatic cells. His research also explores the relationship between the germ line and pluripotent stem cells, together with the molecular basis for pluripotency. In the field of epigenetics, his group has studied the factors that are involved in controlling gene expression in primordial germ cells, how these can be reversed, and the consequences for the totipotent potential of these cells.
Professor Charles ffrench-Constant, at the Department of Pathology, has focussed his research on neural stem cells and the regeneration of peripheral nerve neurons, both of which have significant clinical applications. His group has investigated the mechanisms involved in neural stem cell division, migration and differentiation and how these are regulated. His work on the peripheral nervous system has also identified molecules that are able to promote neural regeneration, which has major implications for the potential promotion of repair in the central nervous system following an injury. Other departments within the School of Biological Sciences with strong interests in stem cell research include the Departments of Anatomy, Biochemistry, Genetics, Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Veterinary Medicine and Zoology.
Cambridge University’s School of Clinical Medicine contains a number of eminent researchers with major interests in the therapeutic potential of stem cells. Roger Pedersen, Professor of Regenerative Medicine at the Department of Surgery, is conducting research into the differentiation of human embryonic stem (hES) cells by creating stable, transgenic cell lines that express green fluorescent protein without affecting cell pluripotency. These lines therefore provide an ideal tool for the investigation of the role of specific genes involved in hES differentiation. Additional activity with a number of collaborators has centred on the study of the mechanisms involved in the maintenance of hES pluripotency, and the development of stem cells for pancreatic islet transplantation for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.
The interests Professor Tony Green, Head of the Department of Haematology, are focussed on the transcriptional regulation of haematopoietic stem cells and the disorders that arise from the transformation of these cells such as chronic myeloid leukaemia. His group have identified a number of transcriptional gene enhancers involved in haematopoiesis and endothelial development using experimental models combined with genomics and bioinformatics. They have also characterised chromosomal abnormalities associated with chronic myeloid leukaemia and other myeloproliferatvive disorders, and how these relate to disease prognosis.
Professor James Fawcett, Head of the Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, has concentrated his work on the capacity of the central nervous system (CNS) to recover from neurological damage. His group are involved in the study of neural plasticity, the therapeutic potential of oligodendrocyte precursors following a CNS injury, and the stimulation of axon regeneration in order to aid recovery from spinal cord injuries. His research group are able to utilise a range of in vitro and in vivo techniques to undertake this work, as well as MRI and PET imaging analysis. Several other groups at the Centre for Brain Repair work on a number of different aspects of human embryonic, foetal and adult stem cells, with regard to their therapeutic potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease. Other departments within the Clinical School who also have significant interest in stem cells and their application to a number of diseases including diabetes, heart disease, atherosclerosis, cancer and stroke include the Departments of Medical Genetics, Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oncology, and the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research. Clinical research carried out in this field is also supported by Papworth Hospital and Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts.
Many researchers within the University are also members of the Cambridge Stem Cell Initiative which aims to accelerate research in stem cell biology by stimulating novel collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches.
As well as the University, numerous institutions in the Cambridge area also have strong interests in various aspects of stem cell biology. These include the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, where director Professor Allan Bradley’s research group have used mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells to study gene function in both normal physiological development and diseases such as cancer. Other groups are involved in the production of large numbers of characterised mouse ES cells lines created by gene trap mutagenesis in order to identify new genetic pathways essential for mammalian development, as well as many other areas of mouse and zebrafish embryonic development. Research conducted at the Babraham Institute is focussed on understanding the processes involved in early development and function in the brain, heart and immune system and many groups are engaged in epigenetic and neurodegenerative disease research.
