Dr. Gupta is interested in understanding the biology of stem cells for cell and gene therapy applications. A major focus concerns the liver, as numerous acquired and genetic disorders are particularly amenable to liver-directed therapies. Studies of hESC and fetal cells are being pursued to define how suitable lineage-specific cells can be obtained, expanded and genetically manipulated for cell transplantation studies in animal models of human diseases. These studies are identifying genetic characteristics of stem cells, such that hESC-derived cells can advance along fetal-like, endodermal lineages. Parallel work with fetal stem/progenitor cells addresses further lineage differentiation and cell therapy mechanisms.
Inada M, Follenzi A, Cheng K, Surana M, Joseph B, Benten D, Bandi S, Qian H, Gupta S. Phenotype reversion in fetal human liver epithelial cells identifies the role of an intermediate meso-endodermal stage before hepatic maturation. J Cell Sci. 2008 Apr 1;121(Pt 7):1002-13. Epub 2008 Mar 4.
Malhi H, Joseph B, Schilsky ML, Gupta S. Development of cell therapy strategies to overcome copper toxicity in the LEC rat model of Wilson disease. Regen Med. 2008 Mar;3(2):165-73.
Follenzi A, Benten D, Novikoff P, Faulkner L, Raut S, Gupta S. Transplanted endothelial cells repopulate the liver endothelium and correct the phenotype of hemophilia A mice. J Clin Invest. 2008 Mar;118(3):935-45.