Journal of Cell Science & Therapy
Open Access
ISSN: 2157-7013
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2157-7013
+44 1300 500008
Timothy A Blenkinsop
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Cell Sci Ther
Retinal pigment epithelium is at the heart of many blinding diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, proliferative vitreoretinopathy and others. In early vertebrates, RPE are capable of regenerating the retina when damaged. In mammals, RPE have also shown regenerative capabilities, albeit at a reduced capacity. We have recently demonstrated adult human RPE exhibit regenerative capacity, including self-renewal properties and ability to differentiate into multiple lineages upon appropriate stimuli. We are exploiting state of the art sequencing technologies to understand both at the transcriptional and epigenetic levels what endows RPE with this regenerative capacity. We hypothesize the epigenetic flexibility naturally embodied by RPE allows their plasticity and as a result, confer regenerative potential. We are developing strategies to exploit this plasticity potential, and nudge RPE towards regenerative rather than pathological outcomes, with the final goal to develop therapies to restore lost retinal function.
Timothy A Blenkinsop has completed his PhD from New York University and Post-doctoral studies with Dr. Sally Temple at the Neural Stem Cell Institute. He is an Assistant Professor at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, a leader in Stem Cell Research. He has published more than 20 papers in reputed journals which have been highlighted in Nature and Cell.
Email:timothy.blenkinsop@mssm.edu