Jack Jiagang Zhao
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PhD (1993)
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Associate Project Scientist
Department of Ophthalmology, Mail Code 0838
School of Medicine
University of California, San Diego
Osler Lane, 9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037-0838
Email: j3zhao (at) ucsd.edu
Department of Ophthalmology, Mail Code 0838
School of Medicine
University of California, San Diego
Osler Lane, 9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037-0838
Email: j3zhao (at) ucsd.edu
Current Research:
One of major challenges in regenerative medicine is to direct human stem cells to differentiate into the desired cell types for cell replacement therapy. Studying cell fate choice is a necessary step toward this goal. We are interested in studying differentiation and fate decision of retina stem cells. We have developed a robust method to derive retina stem cells from human embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells, and are able to direct those retina stem cells turn into desirable differentiated cell types such as retinal ganglion cells, photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium cells in a culture dish. This in vitro differentiation process recapitulates the cell fate determination of retinal lineage in vivo and provides an opportunity to understand the molecular bases of retinal cell fate decision. Moreover, by using iPSCs derived from skin biopsyes of patients suffering retinal diseases, we now be able to model “disease in a dish” to unveil the underlying molecular and cellular causes of occular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, Stargardts, glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa.
One of major challenges in regenerative medicine is to direct human stem cells to differentiate into the desired cell types for cell replacement therapy. Studying cell fate choice is a necessary step toward this goal. We are interested in studying differentiation and fate decision of retina stem cells. We have developed a robust method to derive retina stem cells from human embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells, and are able to direct those retina stem cells turn into desirable differentiated cell types such as retinal ganglion cells, photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium cells in a culture dish. This in vitro differentiation process recapitulates the cell fate determination of retinal lineage in vivo and provides an opportunity to understand the molecular bases of retinal cell fate decision. Moreover, by using iPSCs derived from skin biopsyes of patients suffering retinal diseases, we now be able to model “disease in a dish” to unveil the underlying molecular and cellular causes of occular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, Stargardts, glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa.