Partnering & Alliances
NYSCF partners with a broad range of institutions, foundations, centers and companies in a variety of ways ranging from the creation of fundamental research resources such as iPSC lines for a disease area to developing human disease models in vitro to enable drug discovery and toxicity testing.
Key partnerships include:
- Disease Foundations
- Research Institutes/Initiatives
- Academic Medical Centers
- Pharma/biotech companies
Click here to learn more about sponsorship opportunities. Contact us for more information.
Licensing Opportunies
The present invention provides for the improved generation of OLIG2+, O4+, and OPCs from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) that is significantly quicker and more efficient than previous protocols (40% to 70% of O4+ OPCs within 75 days compared to 4% to 47% of O4+ OPCs within 120 days). Furthermore, O4+ OPCs generated using the present methods are able to differentiate into MBP+ mature oligodendrocytes in vitro, and to myelinate axons in vivo when injected into immuno-compromised Shiverer mice, providing proof of concept that transplantation of PSC-derived cells for remyelination is technically feasible. NYSCF researchers have validated the protocol using over nine PSC lines, whereas previous protocols were optimized using only one or two lines.
The present technology provides various new and improved methods for the generation of human microglia from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), using chemically defined media. The disclosed methods are used to generate microglial progenitors from both embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. Such microglial progenitors typically appear within 25-30 days and continue to produce until around day 50. The methods further enable the differentiation of such microglial progenitors to ramified microglia that have highly motile processes, express many typical microglial markers, release cytokines, have phagocytotic activity, and respond to adenosine diphosphate by producing intracellular Ca2+ transients. These methods are highly reproducible across different PSCs, providing a new source of human microglial cells.
The present invention relates to gene expression systems for use in obtaining iNs from adult fibroblast cells. The invention is an all-in-one neural conversion vector that contains all the components necessary for robust, high yield neural conversion of adult dermal fibroblasts. This vector demonstrated it can be used to efficiently convert fibroblasts collected at three different clinical sites from individuals with idiopathic as well as genetic forms of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease as well as patients with Huntington’s disease. This new approach to iN conversion has great potential for disease modeling, diagnostics and drug screening and discovery across a range of neurological disorders that develop later in life – a set of conditions that have to date been nearly impossible to model using this approach.
BFCNs are one of the most vulnerable neuronal populations associated with cognitive decline in AD patients. Pluripotent stem cell (PSC) generated BFCNs demonstrate a potential strategy for subtypespecific cell-based therapies to treat AD. The present invention provides various new and improved methods for the generation of BFCNs from PSCs, including embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. These methods are highly reproducible, efficiently deriving BFCNs across various PSCs.
The present technology provides tissue grafts, such as segmented vascularized bone grafts, and methods for preparing and using graft segments by creating and partitioning digital three-dimensional tissue models to produce, repair, or replace affected tissue portions. In some embodiments the grafts are made using pluripotent stem cells, such as autologous pluripotent stem cells. Researchers at NYSCF have developed fully-viable, functional, three-dimensional bone substitutes from induced pluripotent stem cells. These results serve as a major advancement to developing the most promising treatments for patients.
The present invention relates generally to cell culture, and more particularly to a composition and method for generating astrocytes. Researchers at the NYSCF Research Institute have identified and developed efficient methods for isolating astrocytes by selection of a new cell surface marker, CD49f. CD49f has been identified to isolate astrocytes in cultures of hiPSC-derived brain cells, including organoids. CD49f, a marker for positive selection of astrocytes, facilitates future research on human astrocyte biology, elucidating their regulation/dysregulation in disease.
NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array®
Developed by NYSCF scientists and engineers, the NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array® enables research to functionalize human genetics, merging patient genomics data with cellular phenotyping. Read more about the technology. If you are interested in collaborative opportunities using the NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array®, please contact partnering@nyscf.org.
Example Project 1
Production of iPS cell lines from multiple patients, a partnership between a Disease Foundation and NYSCF
NYSCF actively partners with a Disease Foundation, which identifies an appropriate patient cohort from which NYSCF can collect skin biopsies or blood samples for iPSC generation. NYSCF internal team of experienced scientists reprograms the samples, conducts extensive quality control to insure sterility, sample identity and pluripotency. and then scales up and banks the final iPSC cell lines for distribution to the Disease Foundation and other scientists as desired. Additionally, NYSCF scientists work with the Disease Foundation to establish in vitro cellular disease models for further investigation or screening.
Example Project 2
Research collaboration to create a scalable, reproducible protocol for the creation of specific neuronal cell types.
A pharmaceutical company partners with NYSCF to optimize an existing differentiation protocol aimed at generating a specific cell type in a reproducible, cost effective, and scalable manner. At the same time, protocol modifications are developed to generate a second cell type not previously accomplished. NYSCF scientists conduct differentiation and analysis of the neuronal cell types produced, and additionally provide differentiated cells to the partner for further analysis. During regularly scheduled meetings with the partner, NYSCF provides status reports, and project scientists discuss next steps towards completing project milestones. Finally, NYSCF provides the partner with a detailed report containing all results, detailed differentiation protocols and can produce and bank differentiated cells as desired.
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