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Stem Cell Biology
Stem Cell Biology laboratory was established in Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research (ICR) in July 2007 after adult mesenchymal stem cells was first isolated and cultured from breast adipose tissue of a patient with breast carcinoma.
Stem cells are defined as pluripotent progenitor cells with self renewal capacity and the ability to differentiate to multiple cell lineages. Adult stem cells are stem cells that can be derived from different parts of the body. They exist in several different tissues including bone marrow, blood and the brain. They can develop into many different cell types such as bone, muscle, hepatocytes, neuron and fat. The best-characterized and most studied adult stem cells are the hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs can be isolated from adipose tissue and bone marrow but they can be harvested by a minimally invasive procedure from adipose tissue. These properties have generated tremendous interest in the potential use of MSCs for regenerative medicine.
The mission of the laboratory is to study the potential application of stem cells isolated from normal tissues of the cancer patients. There might be differences in characteristics of the MSCs isolated from adipose tissues from different cancers as well as with MSCs from normal individuals. Such differences might bring to light a trace of cancer progression process. The use of autonomous MSCs in cell therapy of patients with cancer after they are loaded with immune activating genes is the other goal to be achieved. Researches at the laboratory are conducted by a team of research assistants and staff under direction of the institute chair man, Professor Abbas Ghaderi, PhD. Follow the link to see the list of the institute staff.
Current projects are listed here.
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