This research team uses human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including hiPSCs and hESCs, to study diabetes, which is one of the main health problems facing Qatar and the region. In diabetes, different paths caused by many genetic and environmental factors lead to the loss of insulin-secreting beta cells and/or function. Understanding these many paths to beta cell damage or dysfunction could help in identifying therapeutic approaches specific for each path (personalized therapy).
The group’s research mainly focuses on:
Establishing in vitro hPSC-based models (patient-derived iPSCs and gene-edited hPSCs) to investigate the pathophysiology underlying the development of monogenic and polygenic forms of diabetes.
Generating hPSC-derived functional insulin-secreting beta cells for cell therapy.