Speaker : Seung Jin Lee Ph.D. Dept. of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea 

Date : 2012-10-17

Location : Room 106，Pharmacy Hall, Dankook University

Abstract : Diseases that cause impaired human organs and tissues have increased due to an expanded life span, natural disasters, and other illnesses.  The essential factors in regenerative therapy include cells, scaffolds and delivery technology of bioactive agents.  Stem cells have been in extremely high demands for tissue regeneration; however, they are somewhat limited in functionality over passages, differentiation potential and sufficient sourcing. 

Stem cell engineering through gene delivery may be possible to enhance its functionality and regeneration capacity. Gene delivery has been beset by low transfection efficiency of inserted gene and poor retention at the applied site.  Alternative non-viral gene delivery technology has thus been pursued for promoted transfection efficiency. Further controlled release from biodegradable scaffolds may overcome the limited longevity of transfected genes during the course of regeneration process. 

CPP could be successfully employed as DNA carrier to stem cells in a form of stable pDNA-CPP complex and markedly increased the transfection efficiency over the existing vectors such as polyplexes and lipoplexes. Controlled gene delivery from fibrous 3-D scaffolds loaded with pDNA/CPP nano-complexes significantly enhanced gene-transfection in a prolonged manner to maximize the regeneration potential. Stem cells are truly promising for regenerative therapy; however, their critical issues still remain in unsettled cell source/outcomes, purity assurance and functionality guarantee. Beyond the general mesenchymal stem cells, i.e., BMSC, UCMSC, ASC, significance of resident stem cells was proved for its profound regeneration function, as strongly supported by innovative isolation process. Novel cell delivery technology was requisite to acquire successful regeneration score. Construction of the stem cells with special target-oriented scaffolds provided key for the treatment of intractable diseases.  These approaches may be highly promising to upgrade the status of tissue regenerative therapy.  In addition, the novel stem cell delivery technology will provide breakthrough and unmet needs for the treatment of intractable diseases.