Erik J. Forsberg
Faculty Erik J. Forsberg
Erik J. Forsberg
Executive Director, WiCell Research Institute
eforsberg@wicell.org
WiCell Stem Cell Bank Home Page
Mission
WiCell’s primary mission is to support stem cell research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Through its interactions with UW-Madison investigators, WiCell has accelerated stem cell research on campus allowing scientists to fulfill their research goals more efficiently, and making them more competitive in this fast paced field. Another important mission for WiCell is to provide key stem cell services to researchers worldwide.
WiCell’s commitment to the UW-Madison is evident in the consistency of some of its most basic services, many of which are also offered to the broader worldwide research community. Customary services to the University of Wisconsin-Madison include the sale of qualified reagents (media, substrates, growth factors, antibodies) and cells (hES, iPS, mouse feeder) and testing services (cytogenetic, mycoplasma and teratoma). A new service provided in conjunction with the Waisman Center to generate iPS cell lines was inaugurated in December, 2011. Through another collaboration with the Waisman Center (Waisman Biomanufacturing), clinical grade pluripotent cell banks are produced for UW-Madison and other clients. Available to researchers worldwide are routine and customized cytogenetic services, cell banking and distribution, and quality control testing.
Relevant Research Description
I have always been interested in the process of cells forming tissues, organs and entire organisms. We all start from a single cell and become highly organized life forms with trillions of highly interactive cells. How this process reverses itself to form a totipotent cell (a fertilized egg) is of particular interest to me. I believe an understanding of what defines the state of totipotency and how it differs from pluripotency will yield new ways to improve the human condition.
Selected References
Forsberg EJ, Strelchenko NS, Augenstein ML, Betthauser JM, Childs LA, Eilertsen KJ, Enos JM, Forsythe TM, Golueke PJ, Koppang RW, Lange G, Lesmeister TL, Mallon KS, Mell GD, Misica PM, Pace MM, Pfister-Genskow M, Voelker GR, Watt SR, Bishop MD: Production of cloned cattle from in vitro systems. Biol Reprod 67:327-333, 2002.
Cezar GG, Bartolomei MS, Forsberg EJ, First NL, Bishop MD, Eilertsen KJ: Genome-wide epigenetic alterations in cloned bovine fetuses. Biol Reprod 68:1009-1014, 2003.
Forsberg EJ: Commercial applications of nuclear transfer cloning: three examples. Reprod Fertil Dev 17:59-68, 2005.
Watt SR, Betthauser JM, Augenstein ML, Childs LA, Mell GD, Forsberg EJ, Eisen A: Direct and rapid modification of a porcine xenoantigen gene (GGTA1). Transplantation 82:975-978, 2006.
Forsberg EJ, Mallon KS, Golueke PJ, Bishop MD: Cloning of transgenic ungulates comprising artificial chromosomes. U.S. patent 7,652,192, 2010.