NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – RUCDR Infinite Biologics, a unit of Rutgers University's Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, has received a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) to take over management of the institute's stem cell repository.
With the grant, which is worth up to roughly $6 million in total, RUCDR will conduct induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derivation and quality control for collaborating researchers worldwide. RUCDR will also provide additional services such as the generation of neural stem cells and genome editing to repair or introduce in iPSCs specific mutations that are implicated in human diseases including Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
"We will be utilizing innovative technologies, including molecular characterization of stem cell pluripotency and genomic stability, to provide the highest quality cell lines and data to advance discovery in areas of focus for NINDS," Jay Tischfield, RUCDR CEO and founder, said in a statement. "We also will use cutting-edge methods such as CRISPR-based systems to edit the genomes of induced pluripotent stem cells, generating powerful tools for research into the genetic causes and correlates of nervous system disorders."