For more than a decade, Dr. Peter Zandstra, the Canada Research Chair in Stem Cell Bioengineering, has been working at the University of Toronto to increase the production of stem cells. To do this, he has been applying engineering principles to stem cell research. Starting with computer models of stem cell growth and differentiation (the process by which a stem cell matures into its final form), Dr. Zandstra has moved on to develop more sophisticated culture methods that fine-tune the micro-environments to guide the generation of the different cells types that make up the mature cells in our tissues.

“If you describe something mathematically, you have a much better understanding of it than if you just observe it,” he says. “And it’s also a powerful way to test many different hypotheses in silico before going into the lab and doing the much more difficult experiments in vitro.”

“There’s only so much we can do with mouse cells,” notes Dr. Zandstra. “Now if we can also figure out how to get human embryonic stem cells to differentiate on command to generate functional adult-like cells, you can begin to think about the kinds of medical conditions you could treat with them.”

Dr Zandstra’s work was discussed at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston from February 14 to 18, 2008. Such efforts are very important in gaining a deeper understanding of stem cells and increase their applicability in real-life conditions.