Owen Laing, Silvia E. Selvitella Luna and prof. Ivana Barbaric
Earlier this year Silvia E. Selvitella Luna visited prof. Ivana Barbaric’s Lab in the Center for Stem Cell Biology at the University of Sheffield for a short-term scientific mission grant under HAPLO-iPS COST Action CA21151.
During the Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) at the Barbaric’s Lab, hands-on training was conducted to evaluate the genetic changes acquired by pluripotent stem cell (PSC) lines during in vitro culturing.
The primary technique used for this evaluation is karyotyping, which, while effective, does not capture smaller genetic changes. Therefore, complementary techniques such as qPCR and low-passage sequencing were employed to provide a more comprehensive characterization of PSC lines. This approach aims to improve the quality standards and genetic stability of PSC lines, thereby enhancing the service of iPSC generation at the Barcelona Stem Cell Bank. Additionally, this work contributes to the framework of achieving the objectives and deliverables of the HAPLO-iPS COST Action.
The STSM provided invaluable hands-on experience in advanced techniques for evaluating genetic stability in PSC lines. This training enhanced the participant’s technical skills in stem cell culture, genetic analysis, and quality control, fostering professional growth and expanding the participant’s network within the scientific community.