So-called iPS cells are attracting considerable interest as pluripotent stem cells that may open up a whole new world of medicine. The Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Kyoto University is pursuing a wide range of research activities that aim to realize regenerative medicine utilizing iPS cells. The Nikon BioStation CT cell culture observation system is being used in this iPS cell research and is contributing to its efficiency.
We were pleased to have had an opportunity to speak with Masato Nakagawa, who is engaged in iPS cell research at CiRA.
CiRA, specializing in a wide range of iPS cell research
Please tell us about CiRA.
CiRA was established in April 2010 as the world's first research institution that specializes in iPS cells. Its mission is to contribute to the realization of regenerative medicine by pursuing the possibilities of iPS cells through both fundamental and applied research. Another important mission of CiRA is to cultivate promising young researchers and promote research collaborations through its close ties with Kyoto University's other institutions, such as the Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences and the University Hospital.
Please tell us about the department you belong to.
CiRA is headed by Professor Shinya Yamanaka, who discovered iPS cells, and is divided into five research departments. I belong to the Department of Reprogramming Science. "Reprogramming" refers to the phenomenon whereby somatic (body) cells that have already been specialized as cells of specific tissues or organs return to the pluripotent stem cells they were prior to specialization. Professor Yamanaka succeeded in artificially inducing this reprogramming and gave the name "iPS cell" to this pluripotent stem cell. iPS cells are versatile cells that specialize to become cells of various types of tissues or organs. They can multiply almost without limit. The name "iPS cell," by the way, is an abbreviation of "induced pluripotent stem cell."
At the Department of Reprogramming Science, we are working on clarifying the reprogramming mechanism at the genetic level and developing technologies for producing iPS cells that can be used in regenerative medicine.
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