Menu
Veiga Group
Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapy
The optimization of generation and differentiation methodologies in clinical grade conditions is essential to move forward to clinical application of pluripotent stem cell therapies
Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) derivatives provide a unique source of differentiated cells that can potentially repair lost cell function produced by degenerative diseases or by injury. We aim to optimize generation and differentiation protocols that will allow pluripotent stem cells to be used clinically.

Anna Veiga, PhD
Group Leader, Regenerative Medicine Program of IDIBELL
Group Leader of P-CMRC
Director of the Stem Cell Bank
Lab focus – Research projects
Clinical translation with hiPSC
Allogeneic hiPSC from homozygous UCB units for high prevalence haplotypes (IPS-PANIA)
In collaboration with Banc de Sang i Teixits. Dr. Sergi Querol (Retos-Colaboración)
This project aims to optimise hiPSC generation towards clinical application, beyond autologous treatments by generating hiPSC from cord blood samples with frequent homozygous HLA haplotypes compatible with a significant percentage of the population. hiPSC generation is adapted to clinically safe conditions and this project allows the creation of an hiPSC collection for basic research and clinical trials for cell therapy.
Cell therapy approach with a combination of hiPSC-derived retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptor progenitors in a swine model of geographic atrophy
In collaboration with Barcelona Macula Foundation. Dr. Jordi Monés
The aim of this project is to carry out preclinical cell therapy with retinal epithelial cells (RPE) and photoreceptor progenitors (PR), both derived from hiPSC in a large animal model of geographic atrophy (GA) (mini-pig) to evaluate cell survival and integration in the damaged retina. Methodology optimisation and adaptation to clinically safe conditions will pave the way to first in man clinical trial in Age-related macular degeneration.
Germline genome editing for the study of human embryo development
Genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9 in human embryos for the study of early embryonic development
In collaboration with Dexeus Mujer. Dra. Montse Boada
The project involves the adaptation and improvement of CRISPR/Cas9 technology as a genome editing tool in human zygotes donated for research and the use of such technique for the study of genes essential for human embryo development. Embryo morphology and development are analysed by time-lapse methodology to assess the specific role of certain genes in early human embryo development.
Why it matters
The potential of pluripotent stem cells for regenerative medicine is unique and promising. Stem cell research has opened up powerful opportunities for research and drug discovery but clinical application through pluripotent stem cell therapy requires homogenization and safety assessment. Standardisation of generation and differentiation protocols in clinical grade conditions as well as the use of highly compatible hiPSC is needed to envisage human clinical application.
Keywords
Embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, reprogramming, pluripotency, regenerative medicine, cell therapy, stem cell banking, GMP conditions, cord blood HLA homozygous haplotypes, age-related macular degeneration, retinal pigmented epithelium, photoreceptors progenitors, germline genome editing
Publications
Veiga A, Aran B, Raya A, Messinis I, Mahmood T. EBCOG Position Statement: Ethics of StemCell Research, European Journal of Obstetrics; Gynecology and Reproductive Biology 2020. In
press.
Eguizabal C, Aran B, Chuva de Sousa Lopes S M, Geens M, Heindryckx B, Panula S, Popovic M,
Vassena R, Veiga A. Two decades of embryonic stem cells: a historical overview Human Reproduction Open 2019, .1, hoy024.
Kurtz A, Seltmann S, Bairoch A, Bittner MS, Bruce K, Capes-Davis A, Clarke L, Crook JM,
Daheron L, Dewender J, Faulconbridge A, Fujibuchi W, et al. A Standard Nomenclature forReferencing and Authentication of Pluripotent Stem Cells Stem Cell Reports 2018; 10 (1):1-6
Kuebler B, Aran B, Miquel-Serra L, Muñoz Y, Ars E, Bullich G, Furlano M, Torra R, Marti M,
Veiga A, Raya A. Generation of integration-free induced pluripotent stem cell lines derivedfrom two patients with X-linked Alport syndrome (XLAS) Stem Cell Res 2017. 25: 291-295.
Paul A. De Sousa, Rachel Steeg, Elisabeth Wachter, Kevin Bruce, Jason King, Marieke Hoeve,
Shalinee Khadun, George McConnachie, Julie Holder, et al. Rapid establishment of theEuropean Bank for induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (EBiSC) – the Hot Start experience. Stem Cell
Res 2017. 20: 105-114
Seltmann S, Lekschas F, Müller R, Stachelscheid H, Bittner MS, Zhang W, Kidane L, Seriola A,
Veiga A, Stacey G, Kurtz A. hPSCreg-the human pluripotent stem cell registry. Nucleic Acids Res
2016. 44(D1):D757-63.
Current Members
Past Members