Abstract

The Challenge

Leveraging stem cell derived cell types in the development of efficacious and scalable cell therapies. In 2007, a method for converting a mature human cell type into an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) (Takahashi et al., Cell, 2007), a cell with proliferative and differentiative capabilities, was discovered and provided a way to address the challenges associated with the development and manufacture of cell therapies. However, the process of making iPSCs and then correctly differentiating them into the cells of interest is an inefficient and time consuming process, requiring the development of complex differentiation protocols customized for every type of target cell. These protocols usually require precise conditions, expensive reagents and excessive fine-tuning in methodology, often taking several years of trial-and-error and high in cos