SUMMARY
Quinn P. Peterson, Ph.D., develops stem cell-derived human islets as a potential cell replacement therapy for diabetes. His research focuses on engineering functional islet tissue that mimics the structure and function of natural pancreatic islets, including the insulin-producing beta cells that are lost or damaged in diabetes. The goal is to create transplantable islets that restore insulin production and help regulate blood glucose levels.
Dr. Peterson's work is part of Mayo Clinic's Islet Regeneration Program, which brings together expertise in stem cell biology, bioengineering, gene therapy and transplantation science to restore, protect and replace pancreatic islets. By generating islets from stem cells and recreating the cellular environment required for normal islet function, researchers develop regenerative therapies for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Focus areas
- Directed differentiation of stem cells to pancreatic cell types. Dr. Peterson establishes protocols to direct stem cells into pancreatic islet cell types, including insulin-producing beta cells and glucagon-producing alpha cells. Using a scalable 3D culture system, his team can produce these cells in large quantities for drug discovery, disease modeling and transplantation studies.
- Islet engineering. Dr. Peterson's laboratory develops tissue engineering approaches to purify, combine and organize pancreatic cell types into functional islet organoids. By incorporating additional endocrine cells, supporting cells, vasculature and extracellular matrix components, they aim to recreate the islet microenvironment needed to support cell function, survival and glucose regulation.
- Small-molecule screening for drug discovery. Lack of access to pancreatic cell types has historically limited diabetes drug discovery. Using stem cell-derived pancreatic cells and engineered islets, Dr. Peterson's team identifies and evaluates compounds that influence pancreatic cell function. These discoveries may support the development of new treatments for type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
- Cell replacement therapy for diabetes. Dr. Peterson's laboratory studies the transplantation of stem cell-derived pancreatic cells to advance cell replacement therapies for type 1 diabetes. This research seeks to identify the factors needed for successful cell engraftment and long-term function while developing transplantation approaches that support the translation of stem cell-derived islets to clinical applications.
Significance to patient care
Diabetes occurs when the body's insulin-producing cells are destroyed, requiring insulin therapy and ongoing blood sugar monitoring. Dr. Peterson's research aims to develop stem cell-derived islets that can replace these lost cells and restore natural insulin production. This work may lead to new treatment options that improve blood sugar control, reduce the burden of daily diabetes management and lower the risk of diabetes-related complications.
Professional highlights
- Regenerative Medicine Minnesota award for "Harnessing the Regenerative Microenvironment of the Liver Surface: A Perihepatic Niche for Stem Cell Integration and Survival," Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota, 2026.
- Member, Human Islet Research Network, National Institutes of Health, 2014-2017.
- Postdoctoral fellowship, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 2011-2014.
- Biochemistry Trust of Urbana for Excellence in Graduate Studies Award, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2013.