Experiences and Motivations Regarding The Roles in the Medical Student's Association at an Undergraduate Medical School in Saudi Arabia: A Qualitative Study.

Objectives: This qualitative study aimed to explore student perspectives toward extracurricular activities and motivating and/or demotivating factors of students for involvement with medical student association (MSA) at Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: Qualitative analysis of focus group interviews was employed. Inclusion criteria required participants to be College of Medicine students in years 1-5 of undergraduate study and have been a member of the MSA for at least a year or more.

Generation of a homozygous (MCRIi031-A-3) WT1 knockout human iPSC line.

The transcription factor WT1 plays a critical role in several embryonic developmental processes such as gonadogenesis, nephrogenesis, and cardiac development. We generated a homozygous (MCRIi031-A-3) WT1 knockout induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line from human fibroblasts using a one-step protocol for CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing and episomal-based reprogramming. The cells exhibit a normal karyotype and morphology, express pluripotency markers, and have the capacity to differentiate into the three embryonic germ layers.

Generation of heterozygous (MCRIi031-A-1) and homozygous (MCRIi031-A-2) SOX9 knockout human iPSC lines.

The transcription factor SOX9 plays a critical role in several embryonic developmental processes such as gonadogenesis, chrondrogenesis, and cardiac development. We generated heterozygous (MCRIi031-A-1) and homozygous (MCRIi031-A-2) SOX9 knockout induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines from human fibroblasts using a one-step protocol for CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing and episomal-based reprogramming. Both iPSC lines exhibit a normal karyotype and morphology, express pluripotency markers, and have the capacity to differentiate into the three embryonic germ layers.

A genetically inducible endothelial niche enables vascularization of human kidney organoids with multilineage maturation and emergence of renin expressing cells.

Vascularization plays a critical role in organ maturation and cell-type development. Drug discovery, organ mimicry, and ultimately transplantation hinge on achieving robust vascularization of in vitro engineered organs. Here, focusing on human kidney organoids, we overcame this hurdle by combining a human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line containing an inducible ETS translocation variant 2 (ETV2) (a transcription factor playing a role in endothelial cell development) that directs endothelial differentiation in vitro, with a non-transgenic iPSC line in suspension organoid culture.

Use of steric blocking antisense oligonucleotides for the targeted inhibition of junction containing precursor microRNAs.

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are widely used as therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases, cancers, and virus infections. One class of ASOs functions to enhance protein expression by sequestering the mature microRNA (miRNA) in a double-stranded structure within the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). An alternative approach for the targeted control of gene expression is to use ASOs that bind to the pre-elements of miRNAs (pre-miRNAs) and modulate their enzymatic processing.