Institute's research published in top journal Stem Cell Reports

Important research about stem cells published by Dr. Bae from the Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota in the journal "Stem Cell Reports"
Published in Cancer
Institute's research published in top journal Stem Cell Reports
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Dr. Ki Beom Bae leads study to further understand specialized cells in quest to control cancer.

 

 Dr. Ki Beom Bae from Dr. Zigang Dong's Cellular and Molecular Biology lab of The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, published discoveries in a leading cancer research journal, Stem Cells Reports. The team includes Drs. Dong Hoon Yu, Kun Yeong Lee, Ke Yao,  Joohyun Ryu, Do Young Lim, Tatyana A. Zykova, Myoung Ok Kim,  Ann M. Bode and Zigang Dong. The lab is co-led by Dr. Ann M. Bode, Associate Director.  Non-human stem cells were used for this research.

            Stem cells are special cells that can be coaxed to grow into any cell type in our bodies, if provided the right molecular mix of growth factors. For example, stem cells could be grown into specialized cells like skin cells, liver cells or muscle cells. Learning more about stem cells is crucial for understanding cancer because a special kind of stem cells called "Cancer Stem Cells" are involved in cancer development and progression.

            Dr. Bae and colleagues studied a protein called OCT4, which is essential for keeping stem cells happy.  They found that OCT4 binds to another protein called c-Jun N terminal kinase (JNK).  This OCT4-JNK interaction was found to affect the stability of the OCT4 protein. This is important because it could in turn affect the development and maintenance of stem cells. This research is key because it adds to our knowledge about the inner workings of these important cells.

            "Cancer stem cells, which have characteristics similar to those of normal stem cells, have recently become targets for the development of new anticancer drugs that can fundamentally treat cancer," said Dr. Bae.

            "The precise mechanism that regulates stem cell self-renewal and pluripotency remains largely unknown. This discovery provides new clues for understanding stem cell differentiation and mechanisms. It furthers our goal of discoveries that lead to the prevention and control of cancer."            

 

Stem Cell Reports is the official journal of the ISSCR and is published by Cell Press. The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) is a non-profit, scientific membership organization providing a platform for professional and public education and the promotion of rigorous scientific and ethical standards in stem cell research and regenerative medicine. 

 

The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota - Started in 1942 by Jay C. Hormel, The Hormel Institute, UMN is comprised of a group of highly successful scientists who are focused on determining the basic molecular mechanisms of cancer development to develop new anti-cancer agents. In 2016 the Institute celebrated a major expansion, which doubled its size, adding 20 state-of-the-art laboratories and the Ray Live Learning Center, a 250-seat auditorium plus event room with advanced technology to facilitate international medical research collaborations and presentations. Overall, The Hormel Institute’s expansion is expected to add about 120 faculty and staff jobs in the next few years, growing the Institute to about 250 overall, and currently there are 17 research sections.  The Hormel Institute is a high achieving unit and part of the Masonic Cancer Center of the University of Minnesota.

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