The Baylor College of Medicine Human Stem Cell and Neuronal Differentiation Core is a member of the Advanced Technology Core Labs (group of Baylor College of Medicine core facilities). The core is headed by Dr. Aleksandar Bajić and is set in the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of the Texas Children’s Hospital. The HSCNDC is also significantly supported by Texas Children’s Hospital gearing its mission toward research of neurological disorders.
The HSCNDC provides a wide range of products and services related to human pluripotent stem cell research, as well as hands-on training classes for basic and advanced pluripotent stem cell culture techniques. The HSCNDC offers cost-effective solutions to generate and characterize novel induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for in vitro disease modeling, employing “zero-footprint” technologies such as Sendai virus-based and episomal vector-based reprogramming. We also offer customized research support for experimental design and validation assays.
A subcomponent of HSCNDC, Human Disease and Cellular Models (HDCM) core actively supports the Signature Project of BCM IDDRC center for “Biomarker discovery of gene dosage-dependent disorders” awarded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health (P50HD103555).
HSCNDC helps variety of studies using patient-derived brain cells for discovering causes underlaying neural cells malfunction and degeneration in disease models in vitro. We support labs working on human models of MeCP2 dosage-variations, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and bipolar disorders. To this end, we provide space, equipment, training, reagents and well-established and widely used protocols for iPSC-derived neuro progenitor cells, glutamatergic and GABAnergic neurons, and forebrain organoids. All models pass through comprehensive quality control and characterization, including FACS analysis of iPSC pluripotency, RT-PCR profiling for genes of interest, detection of proteins with Simple Western system, immunohistochemistry for lineage-specific markers, calcium imaging, and physiological assessments via patch-clamp and microelectrode array platform.
Contact:
Aleksandar Bajić, PhD
Director of Human Stem Cell and Neuronal Differentiation Core
Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Room N.0925.05
Texas Children’s Hospital
1250 Moursund St, Houston, TX 77030, USA
(T): 832-824-8693 | (E): bajic@bcm.edu
