A new era of disease modeling and drug discovery using induced pluripotent stem cells

In 2006, Shinya Yamanaka first reported that in vitro reprogramming of somatic cells toward pluripotency was achieved by simple induction of specific transcription factors. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology has since revolutionized the ways in which we explore the mechanisms of human diseases and develop therapeutics. Here, I describe the recent advances in human iPSC-based disease modeling and drug discovery and discuss the current challenges. Additionally, I outline potential future applications of human iPSCs in classifying patients based on their response to drugs in clinical trials and elucidating optimal patient-specific therapeutic strategies, which will contribute to reduced attrition rates and the development of precision medicine.