Wenbin Tan, PhD’s headshot
Induced pluripotent stem cells and vascular organoids assemble capillary malformation phenotypes: insights and challenges
Abstract
Recent advances in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology have transformed vascular malformation research by enabling the development of human-relevant, genotype-specific disease models. Patient-derived or genome-edited iPSCs can be differentiated into endothelial cells and assembled into three-dimensional vascular organoids that recapitulate
many hallmarks of pathological features. In our recent work, we established capillary malformation (CM)–derived iPSCs and generated induced endothelial cells and vascular organoids that mirror key disease phenotypes, including enlarged vascular lumens, endothelial hyperproliferation, and dysregulated signaling. Notably, patient-derived iPSCs and iPSC derived ECs also exhibited heterogeneity in laser-treatment responses, reflecting the clinical spectrum observed among individuals with CM. Together, these clinically relevant stem cell–based systems provide powerful platforms for dissecting mechanisms of vascular pathologies and for screening therapeutic candidates in a controlled, patient-specific context.
Biography
Dr. Tan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy and Director of the Stem Cell and Organoid Core at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. He is also affiliated with the Cardiovascular Research Center and the Department of Bioengineering at the University of South Carolina. He received his Ph.D. in Neurophysiology and Neurobiology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2008, where his early work focused on rhythmic brainstem neurons involved in the neural control of breathing under Dr. Jack L. Feldman’s mentorship. In 2010, he joined Dr. J. Stuart Nelson’s group in the Department of Surgery and the Beckman Laser Institute at the University of California, Irvine, where he began his research on congenital vascular malformations—a dramatic and unexpected shift from studying neurons to endothelial cells. Dr. Tan is deeply grateful to Dr. J. Stuart Nelson, Dr. Dongbao Chen, and the Beckman Laser Institute for their mentorship and the supportive academic environment that shaped his transition to this field. In 2018, he joined the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. On the East Coast, he continues to miss the authentic food and consistently pleasant climate of Southern California. He also greatly appreciates the natural beauty and welcoming environment of South Carolina.
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Wenbin Tan, PhD's headshot
