An iPSC-based model to unveil the development of thymic mimetic lineages

• Project/Area Number: 25K18473
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44020:Developmental biology-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Pretemer Yann 京都大学, iPS細胞研究所, 特定拠点助教 (80986894)
• Project Period (FY): 2025-04-01 – 2027-03-31
• Project Status: Granted (Fiscal Year 2025)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,810,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,110,000); Fiscal Year 2026: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000); Fiscal Year 2025: ¥2,860,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥660,000)
• Keywords: thymus / iPS cell / development / mimetic / epithelial

Outline of Research at the Start

This project aims to elucidate the developmental process of thymic mimetic cells, a rare population of stromal cells crucial for the negative selection of T cells in the thymus. These thymic mimetic cells will be differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells in vitro, and their heterogeneous lineages will be analyzed across multiple stages at the single cell level to determine their regulators and trajectories. This research will provide new insights into early immune development and set the foundation for new approaches to tackle autoimmune diseases.