Dr. Aline M. Betancourt - is a recognized expert in the field of stem cells, cancer, and stem cell-based therapies. She has greatly contributed to the understanding of many aspects of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) over the last decade.. Her laboratory was the first to show that activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs). on mesenchymal stem cells affects their stress responses and immune modulating capabilites.. She was also first to describe paradigm-shifting evidence that MSCs can be induced into both the accepted immunosuppressive MSC2 phenotype and a newly identified pro-inflammatory MSC1 phenotype.. Her patent-pending MSC induction methodology (US 61/391,749) has been successfully tested in several pre-clinical models of human disease. Dr. Betancourt’s recent efforts are in using this technology to advance “off the shelf” allogeneic (non-self) mesenchymal stem cell products that are safe, uniform, and have consistently reliable anti-inflammatory (MSC2) or pro-inflammatory (MSC1) therapeutic effects.. Dr. Betancourt has been the principal investigator for numerous NIH and DOD funded projects. She is a scientific advisory board member for Innovimmune Biotherapeutics Inc. (NY). She is an editorial board member for World Journal of Stem Cells, Journal of Stem Cell and Therapy, and the Journal on Bioinformatics and Biotechnology.. She reviews over 25 manuscripts per year and has served in various national and international granting agency review panels. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed papers and book chapters in the field of stem cell and cancer biology and as a result is consistently nominated by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) for their minority award.. Dr. Betancourt received her Doctor of Philosophy degree from Georgetown University Medical Center. Her postdoctoral training in cancer research began at the National Cancer Institute. She has been a faculty member of Tulane University School of Medicine for the last eighteen years.
