Derrick Rancourt, PhD

Links Medical Genetics University of Calgary

Home
Introduction
Vision & Future Directions
Seminars
News
- Academic Positions Available
Contact
Alberta Health Services
Tools
- Google
- U of C Home Page
- My U of C Login
- U of C Directory
- Tools & Shortcuts

Faculty Education / Training Medical Genetics Services Patient Requisition Forms Medical Genetics Research Academic Positions Available Medical Genetics Related LinksFaculty of MedicineTools

Dr. Derrick Rancourt

Derrick E. Rancourt, Ph.D.

Director, ESTM Facility

Coordinator, MBT Program

Professor

Departments of Oncology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

HMRB300, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW

Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 4N1

Tel: (403) 220-2888 Fax: (403) 283-8727

Email: rancourt@ucalgary.ca

RESEARCH INTERESTS

My research program revolves around the derivation, expansion, differentiation and genetic manipulation of mouse and human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), including embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Over the past several years we have been developing bioprocesses for generating bone and cartilage tissue from stem cells for transplantation. An important feature of our research is that we have developed methods for expanding and differentiating murine and human PSCs as aggregates in suspension bioreactors (SSBs). Recently, we have discovered that fluid shear stress in SSBs induces pluripotency and significantly increases the efficiency of generating iPS cells.

PUBLICATIONS

Rose L, Krawetz R, Rancourt DE and Uludag H (2011) Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor does not Support Pluripotency and Self-Renewal in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells. J Tiss Eng Regen Med (In press).

Krawetz R, Taiani J, Greene A, Kelly G, and Rancourt DE (2011) Inhibition of Rho Kinase Regulates Specification of Early Differentiation Events in P19 Embryonal Carcinoma Stem Cells. PLoS ONE (in press).

Shafa M, Sjonnesen K, Yamashita A, Liu S, Michalak M, Kallos MS and Rancourt DE (2011) Expansion and long term maintenance of induced pluripotent stem cells in stirred suspension bioreactors. J Tiss Eng Reg Med [epub ahed of print]

Alfred R, Taiani J, Krawetz R, Yamashita A, Rancourt DE, and Kallos MS (2011) Large-Scale Production of Murine Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Osteoblasts and Chondrocytes on Microcarriers in Serum-free Media. Biomaterials 32: 6006-16.

Alfred R, Radford J, Fan J, Boon K, Krawetz R, Rancourt D, Kallos MS (2011) Efficient Suspension Bioreactor Expansion of Murine Embryonic Stem Cells (mESCs) on Microcarriers in Serum-Free Medium. Biotechnol Prog 106:829-40.

Meng G, Liu S, and Rancourt DE. (2011) Rapid isolation of undifferentiated human pluripotent stem cells from extremely differentiated colonies. Stem Cells Dev 20:583-91.

Kim M, Garant KA, zur Nieden, N, Alain T, Loken SD, Urbanski SJ, Forsyth PA, Rancourt DE, Lee PWK, and Johnston RN. (2011) Attenuated reovirus displays oncolysis with reduced host toxicity. Br J Cancer 104: 290-9.

Kim M, Hansen KK, Davis L, van Marle G, Gill MJ, Fox JD, Hollenberg MD, Rancourt DE, Lee PW, Yun CO, Johnston RN. (2010) Z-FA-FMK as a novel potent inhibitor of reovirus pathogenesis and oncolysis in vivo. Antivir Ther. 15: 897-905.

zur Nieden NI, Dacks LA, and Rancourt, DE. (2010) Monolayer cultivation of osteoprogenitors shortens duration of the embryonic stem cell test while reliably predicting developmental osteotoxicity. Toxicol . 277: 66-73.

zur Nieden NI, Dacks LA, and Rancourt DE. (2010) Comparing three novel endpoints for developmental osteotoxicity in the embryonic stem cell test. Toxicol Applied Pharmacol 247: 91-7.

Alfred RM, Krawetz R, Rancourt D, and Kallos MS (2010) Serum-free scaled up expansion and differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells to osteoblasts in suspension bioreactors. Biotechnol Bioeng 106: 829-40.

Taiani, JT, Krawetz RJ, zur Nieden NI, Wu E, Kallos MS, Matyas, JR and Rancourt DE. (2010) Reduced differentiation efficiency of murine embryonic stem cells in stirred suspension bioreactors. Stem Cells Dev. 19: 989-98.

Krawetz RJ, Taiani, JT, Li X, Liu SY, Meng G, Kallos MS and Rancourt DE. (2010) Large-scale expansion of pluripotent human embryonic stem cells in stirred-suspension bioreactors. Tiss Eng 16: 573-82.

Yamashita, A, Nishikawa S, and Rancourt DE. (2010) Identification of Five Developmental Processes During Chondrogenic Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells. PLoS One 5: e10998.

Meng G, Liu S, Li X, Krawetz R, and Rancourt DE. (2010) Derivation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines after Blastocyst Microsurgery. Biochem Cell Biol.. 88: 479-490.

Yamashita, A, Nishikawa S and Rancourt DE. (2010) Microenvironment modulates osteogenic cell lineage commitment in differentiated embryonic stem cells. PLoS One 5: e9663.

Meng G, Liu S, Li X, Krawetz R, and Rancourt DE. (2010) Extracellular matrix isolated from foreskin fibroblasts supports long term xeno-free human embryonic stem cell culture. Stem Cells Dev. 19: 547-56.

Research Funding:

2011-2014 $ 360,000 CIHR (Principal Investigator)
A Novel Bioprocess for Efficiently Generating iPS Cells.

2011-2012 $ 50,000 Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Foundation (Principal Investigator)
“Bioreactor Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Tissue Specific Genetic Disease Assessment.”

2011-2012 $ 48,000 NSERC Discovery Grant (Principal Investigator)
“Improved Methods for Tag and Exchange Recombineering”

2010-2011 $ 99,960 CIHR IMHA Catalyst Grant (Principal Investigator)
“Healing Osteoporotic Fractures using iPSC Derived Osteoblasts and Chondrocytes”

2007-2012 $1,485, 000 CIHR Regenerative Medicine Team Grant (Principal Investigator)
“Stem Cells as Promoters of Skeletal Repair”