Creation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Patients with FTD

In this study, investigators will use skin cells from people with a genetic form of frontotemporal dementia to develop pluripotent stem cells. These stem cells are an important tool to help study the disease characteristics as well as potential therapeutics.

Summary

Study director: Bruce Miller, MD [1]
Sponsor: California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM)
Recruiting?: Yes
Official study title: Establishment of Frontotemporal Dementia Patient Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cell Lines
Conditions studied: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) [2], Alzheimer's disease (AD) [3] and other closely related neurological disorders including corticobasal degeneration (CBD) [4], progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) [5] and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with dementia [6]
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to study the disease-causing mechanisms of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and create models to study neurological diseases for which there are not adequate human in vitro or animal models.

Eligibility

Inclusion criteria: Patients with a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) [2] or other neurological disease and a known, or potential, genetic alteration causing the disease will be included. We will also include healthy, unaffected relatives and other healthy controls.
Exclusion criteria: Subjects carrying infectious diseases (e.g., HIV, HCV, HBV, syphilis) will be excluded for laboratory safety reasons. Subjects with known wound-healing problems will be excluded.

What is involved?

Testing: A skin biopsy and virus testing for HIV, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis
Frequency of visits: One visit
Materials needed prior to evaluation: None
Costs: No costs will be charged for any of the study procedures. Parking will be validated for Millberry Parking Garage for study visit. Participants are responsible for their travel and hotel, should they choose to stay in one.

Contact information

Coordinator: Anna Karydas [7], 415-476-3377