CORE FACILITY PROFILE
Core Facility: iPS Core Facility
Institute: Harvard Stem Cell Institute
Location: Cambridge, MA, USA
Website: ipscore.hsci.harvard.edu
About
Since 2008, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) has been providing services to the scientific community to accelerate progress in the field of pluripotent stem cell research. The HSCI core facility for induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells offers human iPS cell derivation and characterization, human pluripotent stem cell line distribution, hPSC gene editing, and hPSC expansion and quality control. These services are available to investigators based at any academic or for-profit institution on a fee-for-service basis.
Background
The HSCI iPS core was launched at Massachusetts General Hospital in 2008, and moved to the Bauer/Sherman Fairchild complex on Harvard’s Cambridge campus in 2010. Its first service offerings were hiPSC derivation and characterization. Human pluripotent stem cell line distribution services were added in 2010, hPSC gene editing in 2013, and hPSC expansion and quality control in 2015.
Services
HSCI iPS Core Facility offers three reprogramming methods: Sendai virus, episomal vector, and mRNA transfection. There is the capacity to reprogram 100 to 150 samples annually. For gene editing services, CRISPR/Cas9 technology is used to generate knock-out, introduce or repair point mutation through knock-in, or create gene reporter lines. The facility is equipped to carry out 15 to 20 gene-editing projects annually.
Training
HSCI iPS Core Facility workshops and training include on-demand, basic hPSC culture training, an annual gene editing workshop, and a workshop on hiPSC derivation and culture organized jointly with the UK Stem Cell Bank. These workshops comprise both lectures and hands-on tutorials.
Collaboration
The team at the facility welcome collaboration with other HSCI laboratories is welcomed. The iPS Core Facility has participated in grant-funded, collaborative projects including one with Chad Cowan to generate iPS lines from blood samples from Framingham Heart Study donors (funded by NIH grant U01), and another with Doug Melton to work on beta cell differentiation (funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).
Team
The director of the HSCI iPS Core Facility is Kevin Eggan, PhD, and the facility is managed by Laurence Daheron, PhD. Other core facility members include: Li Li, PhD (gene editing service manager), Ying Shao (research assistant), Caroline Becker (research assistant), George Savvidis (research assistant), Nailia Mukhamedshina (research assistant), Mizuki Nagayama (research assistant), and Anita Raja (research assistant). There are opportunities for interns and visiting scientists to join the team on a short-term basis.
Images:
From left to right: George Savvidis, Li Li, Anita Raja, Nailia Mukhamedshina, Laurence Daheron, Marlene Geyer, Mizuki Nagayama, Caroline Becker, and Ying Shao (credit: HSCI)
The iPS Core Facility is located in the Bauer building on Harvard’s Cambridge campus (HSCI)
The HSCI iPS Core Facility welcomes visitors: Please knock and come in (credit: HSCI)
HSCI iPS Core Facility manager Laurence Daheron, PhD, leading a training session (credit: HSCI)
Profile submitted by: Laurence Daheron
Page last updated: October 31, 2019