Reprogramming Stars #28: Stem Cell-Based Approaches to Build Blood Vessels and Liver Tissue—An Interview with Dr. Lay Teng Ang

REPROGRAMMING STAR: Dr. Lay Teng Ang is a stem cell biologist and an Assistant Professor at Stanford University, USA, where her work has centered on pluripotent stem cell differentiation to generate diverse cell types in the body. Despite their inherent potential to advance regenerative medicine, pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have been challenging to differentiate into pure populations of desired cell types. Current methods to differentiate PSCs often yield heterogeneous cell populations, a challenge to basic and clinical applications. Dr. Ang’s lab strives to address this hurdle by understanding key lineage decisions that drive alternative differentiation routes. Specifically, her lab’s research includes generating artery and vein endothelial cells for disease modeling and regenerative medicine and generating liver cells for transplantation to treat liver failure.