As hPSCs multiply, some pick up dangerous genetic changes. These “rogue” cells behave more like cancer than cure: they grow faster than their healthy counterparts and can take over an entire cell batch. Once that happens, the product becomes unusable for therapy—and millions of dollars in manufacturing costs may be lost.

Dr. Nika Shakiba is working to stop these variant cells in their tracks. Using a suite of powerful genetic and engineering tools, her team is developing a high-resolution system to track individual hPSCs, identify unwanted variants early, and understand how they gain an edge. By applying machine learning to analyze these data, her lab aims to uncover the signals that predict variant takeover before it occurs.

This work will support the safe, large-scale production of stem cells needed for regenerative therapies—helping Canada’s biotech sector scale up cell manufacturing and deliver high-quality treatments to patients.

“We’re building tools to detect dangerous cells before they compromise a therapy. It’s about protecting the promise of regenerative medicine—so it’s not just effective, but safe and scalable too.”