The present invention relates to artificial transcription factors (ATFs) that alter gene expression, including inducing pluripotency in cells or promoting the conversion of cells to specific cell fates. In particular, provided herein is a zinc-finger based ATF library that can be screened in cells by looking for expression of a specific gene (e.g., reporter expression), monitoring for cell surface markers or morphology, or via functional assays.

The invention provides methods and compositions for producing a multi-layered cellular structure or blastocyst-like structure from a cell population of reprogrammed somatic cells.

Disclosed are populations of dendritic cells generated from stem cells capable of inducing immunity towards cancer. In one embodiment said dendritic cells are generated from allogeneic inducible pluripotent stem cells, for some uses, said pluripotent stem cells are genetically engineered/edited to induce cancer specific immunity and/or resist immunosuppressive effect of tumor derived microenvironment. In one embodiment pluripotent stem cells are transfected with cancer stem cell antigens such as BORIS and/or NR2F6.

Methods are provided for producing a population of hepatocyte-like cells (iHeps) from a population of adipocyte-derived stem cells (ASCs). Aspects of the methods include placing a population of ASCs into a three dimensional culture (e.g., hanging drop suspension culture, high density culture, spinner flask culture, microcarrier culture, etc.), and contacting the cells with a first and second culture medium. Also provided are methods of treating an individual, which include producing a population of iHeps from a population of ASCs, and administering an effective number of iHeps into the individual. Kits for practicing the methods are also described herein.

The present invention relates to a method for producing induced natural killer (iNK) cells, into which a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) gene encoding a CAR is introduced, iNK cells produced by the method, and a cell therapy composition and a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating cancer, comprising the iNK cells.

The method according to the present invention has the effects of producing the iNK cells, into which a CAR gene is introduced, with high efficiency through direct reprogramming from isolated cells without limiting an initial cell, and directly producing the same without a differentiation process, thereby simplifying the production process and reducing costs and time. The method according to the present invention has the effect of producing excellent NK cells having enhanced safety by directly producing NK cells from human somatic cells that are easy to obtain, without passing through induced pluripotent stem cells produced through conventional reprogramming technology. In addition, the iNK cells, into which a CAR gene is introduced, produced by the method, have an excellent cancer cell killing ability, and thus can be effectively utilized as a cell therapy composition or a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating cancer.

Methods are provided for producing a population of hepatocyte-like cells (iHeps) from a population of adipocyte-derived stem cells (ASCs). Aspects of the methods include placing a population of ASCs into a three dimensional culture (e.g., hanging drop suspension culture, high density culture, spinner flask culture, microcarrier culture, etc.), and contacting the cells with a first and second culture medium. Also provided are methods of treating an individual, which include producing a population of iHeps from a population of ASCs, and administering an effective number of iHeps into the individual. Kits for practicing the methods are also described herein.

This present disclosure relates to methods and compositions comprising biologically active nanoparticle formulations of MYC protein. Provided are methods of making the nanoparticle formulations and methods of using the nanoparticle formulations for treatment.

The invention relates to methods of reprogramming a somatic cell comprising culturing the somatic cell in the presence of one or more Yamanaka factors and further culturing said somatic cell in the absence of said one or more Yamanaka factors. The invention further relates to a reprogrammed somatic cell produced according to the methods as defined herein. Also provided are cosmetic methods, cosmetic compositions, a reprogrammed somatic cell and compositions for use in treatment or rejuvenation, as well as methods for screening age modulating agents, factors and/or cellular processes, comprising the methods and a reprogrammed somatic cell as defined herein.

Compositions and methods for the treatment of cancer are provided. Specifically, the disclosure provides a method for treating and/or inhibiting cancer or neoplasia in a subject, the method comprises contacting cancer cells obtained from the subject to be treated with an inhibitor of an immunity suppressing tumor protein; rendering the cancer cells proliferation-incompetent (e.g., by irradiation); and administering the treated cancer cells and a checkpoint inhibitor to the subject, wherein the inhibitor of an immunity suppressing tumor protein is an inhibitor of Inhibitor of differentiation protein 2 (Id2), Myc, and/or apolipoprotein E (ApoE).

Methods for effecting the de-differentiation of somatic cells to cells having stem cell characteristics, in particular pluripotency, include the steps of introducing RNA encoding factors inducing the de-differentiation of somatic cells into the somatic cells and culturing the somatic cells allowing the cells to de-differentiate.