A new project was launched today by a UC Irvine research team lead by Hans Keirstead. The final goal of the project is to develop stem cell lines that genetically match human patients.

“This technique holds tremendous promise to advance our knowledge of stem cells and their potential to cure disease,� said Keirstead, associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology and co-director of UCI’s Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center. “I am excited to embark on this line of research and look forward to the day when patient-specific stem cells are utilized to treat people suffering from debilitating injuries and health conditions.�

These lines would provide would provide the basis for potential patient-specific stem cell treatments.

In order to achieve his goal, Keirstead will use a technique called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). A patient’s DNA is transplanted into a donated unfertilized egg cell in order to generate stem cell lines with the same genetic makeup of the patient.

Stem cells are the cells that give rise to each of the specialized cells within the human body. During organ and tissue development, the stem cells transform into a particular specialized cell, such as a heart cell or a liver cell. If researchers can control the processes directing stem cell transformation, they may one day be able to use these cells as a source of healthy replacement cells for diseased or injured tissues.