Principal Investigator
Timothy E. Kennedy
McGill University
Co-investigator
Christopher J. Barrett
McMaster University
Project of $613,333 over 3 years
- Supported by CQDM through:
Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie du Québec (MEIE) - And by co-funding partners:
– DendroTEK Biosciences Inc.
– Brain Canada Foundation
The project in details:
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are increasingly used to study diseases, but they require expensive protein-based coatings like Matrigel™ to grow. These coatings are complex, vary from batch to batch, and often face supply shortages.
To solve this, the team developed a synthetic matrix made from aminated dendritic polyglycerol (dPGA), now commercialized by the Quebec-based company DendroTEK Biosciences. Neurons grown on dPGA show better survival, differentiation, and longevity in lab conditions. This makes hiPSCs more useful for studying age-related diseases like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. This type of matrix is also chemically tunable to more applications.
In this project, the dPGA matrix is being adapted for new cell types and 3D cultures by optimizing its stiffness and ligand presentation to create custom 3D hydrogels for hiPSCs and brain organoids. These innovations will support large-scale production and open new doors in regenerative medicine, disease modelling, and drug discovery.
