The Tissue and Disease Modeling Core (TDMC) at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute offers rapid generation of induced pluripotent cells (iPSCs) from patient blood samples and editing of the genome of these iPSCs. This facility also offers training to users on the proper culture of pluripotent cells and their differentiation towards various lineages.
Generous support from UBC’s Faculty of Medicine is enabling expansion of the facility so that it can accommodate projects from researchers across the whole of the Faculty of Medicine (FOM).
The TDMC enables researchers to access powerful iPSC and genome editing technology to determine the biological mechanisms of disease in patients, and use disease models, built from patient cells, to inform diagnosis and therapeutic strategies.
Dr. Francis Lynn, oversees the scientific and technical operations of the TDMC, and he has proven expertise in iPSC and genome editing technology. To date, Dr. Lynn has facilitated genome editing projects underway in the Departments of Pediatrics, Biochemistry, and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and at the Centres for Brain Health and Heart Lung Innovation, as well as the Pancreas Centre BC. Additionally, with seed funding from the Childhood Diseases Theme, Dr. Lynn has run a local competition that has awarded generation of iPSCs for five clinical researchers at BC Children's Hospital.
Basic iPSC Service
Within three months the TDMC can generate of 3 iPSC clones from PBMCs (~0.5ml of blood). Included in this service is basic characterization with genetic analysis for chromosome abnormalities.
For more information, contact Jeffrey Helm – jhelm@mail.ubc.ca, 604-875-2000 x7954.
Genomic Editing Service
Genome Editing projects are also accepted.
For more information, contact Jeffrey Helm – jhelm@mail.ubc.ca, 604-875-2000 x7954.