Dean's Workshop: Human Organoids and Stem Cells as Experimental Models...

"Human Organoids and Stem Cells as Experimental Models: Somatic Mosaicism, Developmental Disorders and Beyond" will highlight the work of key innovators in this field, including those at Yale School of Medicine and Yale University.

Human organoids and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) present powerful experimental models to advance our understanding of development and disease. This workshop presents innovative studies across our campus, including advancing organoids and iPSCs as model systems, investigations of somatic mosaicism in humans, regulation of human cell intrinsic and extrinsic developmental processes, and as a resource for cell-based therapeutics. Presentations include technical innovations, plasticity in developmental programming, new approaches to understand altered gene regulatory mechanisms in Autism Spectrum Disorders, and a keynote lecture by Dr. Alexej Abyzov of the Mayo Clinic titled “Somatic Mutations Reveal Personal History of Development and Aging.” We will highlight the strengths and enormous potential for discovery with these models and collaborative opportunities in our community.

This event, hosted by the School of Medicine dean’s office, will take place in person in TAC Auditorium N-107 and via Zoom. As with previous workshops, we will provide a survey at the end of the program.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

WELCOME, 1–1:05 PM
Nancy J. Brown, MD
Jean and David W. Wallace Dean of Medicine and C.N.H. Long Professor of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine

INTRODUCTION, 1:05–1:10 PM
Haifan Lin, PhD
Eugene Higgins Professor of Cell Biology and Professor of Genetics, of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, and of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine; Director, Yale Stem Cell Center

Flora Vaccarino, MD
Harris Professor in the Child Study Center and Professor of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine

DESIGN PRINCIPLES OF MULTICELLULAR ORGANIZATION AND PATTERNING IN EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT, 1:10–1:30 PM
Berna Sozen, PhD
Assistant Professor of Genetics and of Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine

BIOMIMETIC SCAFFOLDS FOR MULTICELLULAR CULTURE AND THERAPEUTIC CELL DELIVERY, 1:30–1:50 PM
Anjelica Gonzales, PhD
Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science

A NEW GENERATION OF TOOLS FOR EXPERIMENTAL MODELING OF BRAIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION, 1:50–2:10 PM
Andre Levchenko, PhD
John C. Malone Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science; Director, Yale Systems Biology Institute

DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONALLY DEFINED HUMAN DIENCEPHALIC ORGANOIDS, 2:10–2:30 PM
In-Hyun Park, PhD
Associate Professor of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine

NETWORKING BREAK, 2:30–2:45 PM

MODELING NEUROEPIGENETIC DISORDERS IN 2D AND 3D NEURONS, 2:45–3:05 PM
Yong-Hui Jiang, MD, PhD
Professor and Chief of Medical Genetics, Yale School of Medicine

ORGANOID MODELING OF NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS, 3:05–3:25 PM
Flora Vaccarino, MD
Harris Professor in the Child Study Center and Professor of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine

SOMATIC MUTATIONS REVEAL PERSONAL HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT AND AGING, 3:25–4 PM
Keynote speaker:
Alexej Abyzov, PhD
Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Senior Associate Consultant, Mayo Clinic

CLOSING REMARKS, 4 PM
Nancy J. Brown, MD