Image-Based High-Content Analysis, Stem Cells and Nanomedicines: A Novel Strategy for Drug Discovery - Harnessing Biomaterials in Nanomedicine: Preparation, Toxicity, and Applications - page 270

technology that is capable of returning somatic cells to a nearly
embryonic state of pluripotency.
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are derived from somatic
cells and have the ability to diff erentiate to almost every type of
tissue (like ESC) by the co-overexpression of specific transcription
factors (Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc) using retroviral vectors
[49]. Researchers have found that iPSC share similar characteristics
to those of ES cells, such as cell morphology, self-renewal, surface
marker antigens, pattern of gene expression, telomerase activity,
and the epigenetic status of pluripotent cell-specific genes [50].
Clearly, the principal advantage of iPSC is that they can be
derived from a patient with a certain disease, constituting a platform
from which to produce any required cell type in order to study the
etiology of the disease [51]. Most interestingly, this approach can be
used as a model of the disease that has the identical genetic traits
of the individual that donated the tissue sample. Today iPSC can
also be generated from readily available tissues such as blood [52],
skin, or even hair [53]. This advantage makes IPSC ideal candidates
to produce neurons and glia from living individuals suff ering from
neurodegenerative diseases, constituting a remarkable platform for
translational research and personalized medicine [54].

9.4 Personalized Medicine Plaf orms

Personalized medicine refers to the tailoring of strategies to detect,
treat, and prevent disease based on an individual's molecular
characteristics [55].
Over the past century, medical care has been based on
epidemiological studies of large cohorts. However, this type of
medicine does not consider the genetic variability of individuals
within a population. Consequently, failure in the treatment or
unwanted side eff ects may arise in certain individuals. The
incorporation of pharmacogenomics into clinical drug development
off ers the opportunity for pharmaceutical companies to evaluate
drugs with a better understanding of the eff ects that specific genetic
variants will have on drug response [56]. The goal of personalized
medicine is to provide consideration to such individual diff erences
in order to optimize the treatment.
Traditionally, this approach has been limited to the consideration
of a patient's family history, environment, behaviors, and clinical