University of Connecticut­Wesleyan University Stem Cell Core Announcement

The 1st  Annual Neural Differentiation Workshop
September 19, 2008

Human embryonic stem cell (hESC)­derived neurons provide a potential source for both the basic and translational studies in regenerative medicine. A robust neural differentiation system that mimics the biological process is critical for this potential application.

In this workshop, two experts; Drs. Laura Grabel, and Xue­Jun Li, will introduce the background and details in neural differentiation,  and present a step­by­step protocol of neural differentiation from hESCs. Participants will be given opportunities for hands­on lab activities and discussions, including issues or concerns related to this system.

Dr. Laura Grabel: Professor of Natural Science at the Wesleyan University. Her lab studies various aspects of mammalian development, including generating neural stem cells from embryonic stem cells and examining the fate of embryonic stem cell­derived neural stem cells after transplantation using mouse models of temporal lobe epilepsy. She has a grant from the Connecticut Stem Cell Initiative to study conditions that promote the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into neurons, both invitroand in the brain. She is the co­PI of the UConn­Wesleyan Stem Cell Core grant.

Dr. Xue­Jun Li: Assistant professor of the Neuroscience Department and the Stem Cell Institute of University of Connecticut. Her research  interest focuses on studying neural development and degeneration using hESCs. She has published the first report of differentiation of spinal motor neurons from hESCs and was recently awarded a grant from the Connecticut Stem Cell Initiative to “model the pathological process of motor neuron degeneration  in spinal muscular atrophy using hESCs”.