Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Musculoskeletal Applications

ABOUT THE WEBINAR

This webinar will explore the emerging role of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in musculoskeletal research and regenerative medicine. Participants will gain insight into iPSCs, with a focus on their application in treating musculoskeletal diseases. The session will highlight recent advances, technical challenges, and ethical considerations associated with translating iPSC technology into clinical practice.

KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Engage in discussions regarding the role of collaboration between academia, industry, and government in advancing cell and gene therapy research including CAR-T cell research program.
  • Explore how iPSCs are used to model musculoskeletal diseases in vitro.
  • Examine their potential in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering for bone, muscle, and cartilage repair.
  • Discuss early-stage clinical trials involving iPSCs in musculoskeletal conditions.
 WEBINAR CHAIRS

Oscar Lee, MD, PhD, MSc
Orthopedic & Musculoskeletal Therapies Committee (MSK) Chair
Professor and Senior Consultant
Mackay Memorial Hospital
Taiwan

Professor Oscar Kuang-Sheng Lee is an orthopedic surgeon-scientist and has worked in stem cell research and regenerative medicine for more than 25 years. He has published over 170 peer-reviewed papers in leading scientific journals, with total citations exceeding 14,000. Professor Lee has actively served in ISCT. He was the Co-Chair of the  ISCT 2016 Scientific Annual Meeting in Singapore, Regional Vice President of the ISCT Asia Regional Committee in 2019-2021, and the Associate Editor of Cytotherapy from 2017 to January 2024. Currently, he is the Chair of the Orthopedic & Musculoskeletal Therapies (MSK) Committee. Listed among the top 2% of scientists by Elsevier in 2024, Prof. Lee is currently positioned as Professor and Senior Consultant at the MacKay Memorial Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. He was selected as ‘member of the month” in August 2025 by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Shannon Strader, D.O.
Fellow
Mayo Clinic
United States

Shannon Strader is a PM&R physician and is currently undergoing her fellowship in cellular therapy at Mayo Clinic. She is dedicated to caring for individuals with developmental disabilities and neuromusculoskeletal disorders, particularly patients with cerebral palsy. As an undergraduate, she conducted research in the regenerative biology lab of Dr. James Thomson. There, she became enthusiastic about the potential of new cellular therapies. She will be staying on staff at Mayo Clinic within the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department after she completes her fellowship where she will be a leading a transition clinic for young adults with complex pediatric-onset disabilities. She aims to care for adults with complex disabilities while investigating cellular treatments for neuromusculoskeletal conditions and advocating for patient access to commercial, FDA approved cell and gene therapies.

 WEBINAR SPEAKERS

Jason Doles, PhD
 Associate Professor, Vice Chair for Strategic Engagement
Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology
United States

Dr. Jason Doles is an Associate Professor and Vice Chair for Strategic Engagement in the Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Doles received a B.A. in Political Science and Biology from Brown University (Providence, RI), and a Ph.D. in Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA). Following postdoctoral fellowships at the Center for Genomic Regulation (Barcelona, Spain) and the University of Colorado-Boulder, Dr. Doles moved to Mayo Clinic in 2016, where he led a research lab before relocating to IU in 2022. Dr. Doles’ research program centers around three main themes: 1) cancer cachexia, 2) tissue recovery/regeneration following trauma, and 3) neuromuscular disease. The lab uses a variety of cell-based models (iPSCs, primary stem cell cultures, organoid cultures), model organisms (mouse, fly), and experimental techniques (cell/molecular biology, multi-omics, physiological assessments) to tackle projects spanning basic discovery to pre-clinical translational studies. Dr. Doles is actively involved in professional organizations including the American Association of Cancer Research, Society on Sarcopenia, Cachexia, and Wasting Disorders, Shock Society, Cancer Cachexia Society, and the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). He frequently serves on grant review panels for the National Institutes of Health, Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the Department of Defense/Veterans Affairs. Additionally, Dr. Doles is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, and JCSM Rapid Communications.

Wan-Ju Li, PhD
 Associate Professor and Principal Investigator
MBRM Lab
University of Wisconsin-Madison
United States

Professor Wan-Ju Li is an associate professor and principal investigator who leads the Musculoskeletal Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory in the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is also affiliated with the Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology and serves as leader of the Musculoskeletal Regeneration Group in the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center. Professor Li earned his PhD in Cell and Tissue Engineering from Thomas Jefferson University in 2004 and completed postdoctoral training at the NIH in 2008. His research focuses on stem cells and skeletal tissue engineering, with the aim of developing effective stem cell therapies for orthopedic diseases such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Additionally, his NIH-funded studies examine the use of induced pluripotent stem cells for cartilage repair, and Prof. Li has published more than 100 research articles, and has been cited more than 14,830 times. 

Prof. Li is a member of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, the Osteoarthritis Research Society International, and the Orthopaedic Research Society, where he helped establish the Stem Cell Interest Group. His awards include the NIH Fellow Award for Research Excellence, the Young Investigator Research Award from the North American Spine Society, the Nontenure Faculty Award from 3M, and the Emerging Investigator Award of Stem Cell Research & Therapy. In 2025, he was elected a Fellow of the International Combined Orthopaedic Research Societies. He serves on the editorial boards of several scientific journals, including Journal of Orthopaedic Translation, Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, Genes and Diseases, and Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine.