Dipl.-Biol. Marta Galach
Tel.: +49 (0)621-383-3108  

Dr. rer. nat. Daniel Novak
Tel.: +49 (0)621-383-3108  

Daniel Roth, BTA
Tel.: +49 (0)621-383-3108

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) can be generated from different cell types through ectopic expression of transcription factors as Oct4 and Sox2, combined with either Klf4 and c‑Myc or Lin28 and Nanog or Esrrb. iPS cells acquire all the features of embryonic stem cells including immortal growth and pluripotency, measured by their ability to differentiate into multiple cell types in teratomas and their contribution to mice with germline transmission. iPS cells can be generated free of vector and transgene sequences. Patient-derived iPS cells may be an ideal source for studying complex diseases in vitro and potentially for treating disorders in the clinic.

Our current research focuses on studying mechanisms controlling the differentiation of iPS cells into different cutaneous lineages as well as on similarities between iPS cells and tumor cells.

- Landesstiftung Baden-Württemberg

- SFB 873 „Maintenance and Differentiation of Stem Cells in Development and Disease“

- Hella Bühler Preis 2010

Utikal J, Polo JM, Stadtfeld M, Maherali N, Kulalert W, Walsh RM, Khalil A, Rheinwald JG, Hochedlinger K. Immortalization eliminates a roadblock during the reprogramming of somatic cells into iPS cells. Nature. 2009: 460:1145-8.  

Utikal J, Maherali N, Kulalert W, Hochedlinger K. Sox2 is dispensable for the reprogramming of melanocytes and melanoma cells into induced pluripotent stem cells. J Cell Sci. 2009; 122:3502-10.  

Stadtfeld M, Nagaya M, Utikal J, Weir G, Hochedlinger K. Induced pluripotent stem cells generated without viral integration. Science. 2008; 322:945-9. 

Maherali N, Ahfeldt T, Rigamonte A, Utikal J, Cowen C, Hochedlinger K. A high-efficiency system for the generation and study of human induced pluripotent stem cells. Cell Stem Cell. 2008; 3:340-5. 

Eminli S*, Utikal J*, Arnold K, Jaenisch R, Hochedlinger K. Reprogramming of neural progenitor cells into induced pluripotent stem cells in the absence of exogenous Sox2 expression.  Stem Cells. 2008; 26:2467-74.  

Maherali N, Sridharan R, Xie W, Utikal J, Eminli S, Arnold K, Stadtfeld M, Yachechko R, Tchieu J, Jaenisch R, Plath K, Hochedlinger K. Directly reprogrammed fibroblasts show global epigenetic remodeling and widespread tissue contribution. Cell Stem Cell. 2007; 1:55-70. 

Utikal J, Gratchev A, Muller-Molinet I, Oerther S, Kzhyshkowska J, Arens N, Grobholz R, Kannookadan S, Goerdt S. The expression of metastasis suppressor MIM/MTSS1 is regulated by DNA methylation. Int J Cancer. 2006; 119:2287-93.