Nina S. Funa - Identification of signaling pathways controlling expansion of human pancreatic progenitor cells

In this project Nina will use multi-color reporters to exploit how the signaling cues that regulate differentiation and cellular expansion during human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) progression to insulin producing beta cells communicate. 

By monitoring how hPSC-derived pancreatic progenitor cells balance between cell cycle progression and regulation of cell fate specification in real time, the long term goal is to generate protocols that robustly generate functional beta cells as a consistent and renewable source for the upscaling of cells intended for cell replacement therapy in Type 1 diabetes. 

The project is a JDRF Advanced Postdoctoral Fellowship partly funded by Danish Diabetes Academy supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

AFFILIATION

The Danish Stem Cell Center (DanStem)
University of Copenhagen

Mentor: Professor Palle Serup