Centre of Excellence in Stem Cell Metabolism

Acronym

MetaStem

Description of the granted funding

The rapid advancement of stem cell research creates a foundation for future therapeutic strategies spanning from organ replacements to treatment of diabetes and neurodegenerative disease, and to aging-related frailty and disease. To fully realize the potential of stem cell based strategies, we must first understand the cellular processes critical for stem cell function. We have discovered that metabolism is a potent driver of stem cell fate and that metabolic interventions can guide stem cell function. Subsequently, we have for example succeeded in producing near-mature stem cell derived pancreatic islets, that produce insulin in response to elevated glucose. During the second term, we will focus on illuminating how metabolism controls differentiation of stem cells in a tissue environment, and whether metabolic tools can be used to enhance the maturation of lab-grown pancreatic islets for stem cell based diabetes therapy.
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Starting year

2023

End year

2025

Granted funding





Pekka Katajisto Orcid -palvelun logo
1 467 179 €

Funder

Research Council of Finland

Funding instrument

Centre of Excellence programmes

Other information

Funding decision number

353000

Fields of science

Biochemistry, cell and molecular biology

Research fields

Solu- ja molekyylibiologia