Current Research

Human Umbilical Cord Perivascular (HUCPV) cells: a source of mesenchymal progenitors.

We have described the isolation of a non-hematopoietic (CD45^-, CD34^-, SH2⁺, SH3⁺, Thy-1⁺, CD44⁺) human umbilical cord perivascular (HUCPV) cell population. Each HUCPV cell harvest (2-5x10⁶ dependent upon the length of cord available) gives rise to a morphologically homogeneous fibroblastic cell population, which expresses α-actin, desmin, vimentin and 3G5 (a pericyte marker) in culture. We have determined the CFU-F frequency of primary HUCPV cells to be 1:300 and the doubling time to be 60 hours at passage 0 (P0) which decreases to 20 hours at P2. This results in a significant cell expansion producing over 10¹⁰ HUCPV cells within 30 days of culture. Furthermore, HUCPV cells cultured in non-osteogenic conditions contain a subpopulation that exhibit a functional osteogenic phenotype and elaborate bone nodules. CFU-O are not seen at P0 in either osteogenic or non-osteogenic culture conditions, but P0 HUCPV cells contain a 20% subpopulation that present neither Class I nor Class II cell-surface major histocompatibility complexes (MHC^-/-). This population increases to 95% following passage and cryo-preservation (P5). We conclude that, due to their rapid doubling time, high frequencies of CFU-F and CFU-O, and high MHC^-/- phenotype, HUCPV cells represent a significant source of cells for allogeneic mesenchymal cell-based therapies.

Background

After completing my B.Sc. I worked for 4 years as an investment consultant, first for Manulife Financial, then for TD Asset Management.

Awards and Scholarships

• UofT Open
• OGS

Publications

R. Sarugaser, D. Lickorish, D. Baksh, M. M. Hosseini, J. E. Davies, "Human umbilical cord perivascular (HUCPV) cells: a source of mesenchymal progenitors," Stem Cells, vol. 23, pp. 220-229, 2005.

Abstracts

R. Sarugaser, D. Lickorish, D. Baksh, M. Hosseini, J. E. Davies, "Human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly as a source of mesenchymal progenitors capable of expressing a functional osteogenic phenotype," Proceedings of the Orthopedic Research Society, Orlando, FL, 2003.

R. Sarugaser, D. Lickorish, D. Baksh, M. Hosseini, J. E. Davies, "Human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly as a source of mesenchymal progenitors capable of expressing a functional osteogenic phenotype," Proceedings of the Orthopedic Research Society, San Francisco, CA, 2004.

R. Sarugaser, D. Lickorish, L. Hanoun, E. Cheng, J. E. Davies, "Human umbilical cord perivascular (HUCPV) cells: a source of allogeneic cell based therapies," Proceedings of the European Tissue Engineering Society, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2004.

Personal Interests

Weight training, swimming, cycling, running (soon to try a triathlon), ultimate frisbee.