Wensen Jiang

This study differentiates human iPSCs to the syndetome stage using chemically defined media and small molecules informed by single-cell RNA-sequencing, revealing Wnt pathway involvement in off-target neural differentiation and improved syndetome induction with a WNT inhibitor.

The paper identifies a stress-induced subtype of nucleus pulposus cells in degenerating intervertebral discs that trigger discogenic low back pain.

The paper generates and compares single-cell atlases of human neonatal and adult intervertebral discs to identify cellular heterogeneity, sub-populations, and developmental trajectories.