Responsable de Grupo: Ander Izeta, Ph.D.

Biodonostia HRI ander.izeta@biodonostia.org

Strategic Objectives

The central objective is to elucidate the ontogeny, expansion and differentiation capacity of precursor cells in human and mouse dermis, with the ultimate purpose of facilitating their therapeutic use through the generation of tissue engineering constructs and/or helping to clarify their possible contribution to carcinogenic processes or other types of pathologies.

Main lines of research

• Basic research into the ontogeny of isolated mesodermal and neurogenic lineages of human and mouse dermis (lineage records) and their drift towards neural and musculoskeletal lineages.
• Pre-clinical research to advance towards the clinical use of precursor skin cells. Their utility in different animal models is being explored (muscle damage, chronic rotator cuff damage, distraction osteogenesis or Alzheimer’s) through a range of collaborations.
• Clinical trials to analyse the efficacy and safety of autologous hair follicle transplants to cure chronic ulcers.
• Study of the implication of precursor cells in the etiopathogenesis of dermal neurofibromas or other derived tumours of the peripheral nervous system and/or the neural crest.
• Studies related to precursor cells and industrial applications in the field of cosmetics.