University of Helsinki

The Otonkoski lab is interested in the use of human pluripotent stem cells for disease modelling. The group has optimized methods for the differentiation of stem cells into functional islet-like cells. Combined with genome editing, this approach is used to elucidate mechanisms behind pancreatic beta-cell failure leading to diabetes.  

Role in the project

Our main role in this project to decipher the factors predisposing beta cells to enterovirus induced damage by employing our recently established human pluripotent stem cells derived islets and CRISPR-based genome editing tools.