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We study the safety and tumorigenic potential of human and animal stem cells, developing and validating in vitro models to advance regenerative medicine and disease research.

Malignancy of human and animals stem cells

Human pluripotent stem cells are valuable tools for modeling human and animal diseases, as well as a source of differentiated cells for use in regenerative medicine and drug discovery. An essential prerequisite for using stem cells in medicine is the assurance of their safety: prolonged stem cell culture can lead to their abnormal growth caused  by the acquisition of (epi)genetic abnormalities. In our group, we investigate the underlying mechanisms driving the acquisition of these cancer-like traits, thus aiming to shed light into the malignant potential of human pluripotent stem cells and how to detect it prior to their use in clinical applications. Currently this is only feasible through the use of the in vivo teratoma assay, an animal study which is not standardized and thus their reliability and validity is in jeopardy. As the field moves towards animal-free alternatives, circumventing the ethical and scientific concerns caused by such in vivo studies, our group is working on the development of an in vitro assay able to depict the malignant potential of hPSCs in an animal-free manner. 

The Centre for Animal-Free Biomedical Translation

We are involved in the Centre for Animal-Free Biomedical Translation (CPBT, in Dutch: ). It will create new opportunities around animal-free technologies and biomedical translation. The transition to animal-free innovation has many collaborations  and interdisciplinary projects where research and education go hand in hand.

Transition Programe to Animal-free Innovations 

Daniela Salvatori is chairperson of the Utrecht Transition to Animal-free Innovation (TPI) initiative. Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ (UU), the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU) and the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ of Applied Sciences Utrecht have joined forces to create the interdisciplinary group TPI Utrecht. The mission of TPI Utrecht is to improve the quality of scientific research and education by supporting animal-free innovations.

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