Kalpana Pillai's talk delves into the intricacies of cell therapy, focusing on genomic stability, sequencing methods, and the screening and selection of iPSC clones. She begins by introducing the three types of cell therapy: autologous, donor-derived allogeneic, and iPSC-derived allogeneic cell therapies. Each type has its advantages and limitations, particularly in terms of turnaround time and cost. Kalpana emphasizes the importance of genomic stability in cell therapy, citing a recent study where genomic stability testing revealed a cancer-causing mutation. This underscores the necessity for thorough screening at various stages to ensure the safety and efficacy of the therapy.
Kalpana then explores the sequencing methods used to evaluate genomic stability, namely long-read and short-read sequencing. She discusses the advantages and limitations of each method, highlighting their ability to identify structural variants and mutations. Long-read sequencing is particularly useful for detecting large structural variants, while short-read sequencing is more efficient for identifying smaller mutations. The combination of both methods provides a comprehensive evaluation of genomic stability.
The talk also covers the strategy for screening and selecting iPSC clones based on the presence of risky variants. Kalpana explains the importance of identifying and mitigating mutations to ensure the safety and efficacy of the final drug product. This involves rigorous screening processes to select optimal iPSC clones that are free from harmful mutations.
In conclusion, Kalpana summarizes the key points of her talk, emphasizing the importance of characterizing risky variants, selecting optimal iPSC clones, and using long-read sequencing for accurate evaluation of genomic stability. Her insights provide valuable guidance for researchers and practitioners in the field of cell therapy, highlighting the critical role of genomic stability in developing safe and effective therapies.
