We are interested in stem cell biology and application. We first discovered the key factors to sustain self-renewal and prolonged culture of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) without the need for animal feedercells (Nat. Biotechnol. 2002; Nat. Methods 2005; Cell Stem Cell 2008) and revealed recurrent copy number variations in human induced pluripotent stem cells (Nat. Biotechnol. 2011). Recently, we treated animal models of multiple sclerosis and colitis with hESC-differentiated mesenchymal stem cells (EMSC) with superior efficacy (Stem Cell Reports 2014; Stem Cells 2016) and reported a novel method for stem cell transportation under ambient conditions without need for the costly and inconvenient cryopreservation methods (Biomaterials 2017). Our current research interests include

1. Exploring novel therapeutical applications of EMSC
2. Elucidating the fate of EMSC in host under various pathological conditions
3. Addressing the immunogenicity and biosafety concerns of hESC-derived allografts