Sargis Sedrakyan

Sargis Sedrakyan is a Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Saban Research Institute Investigator and Assistant Professor of Urology at University of Southern California. Sargis received his undergraduate degree in Biology at Brooklyn College, City University of New York, his PhD in Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine from Padova University, Italy and completed postdoctoral research training in Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine at The Saban Research Institute, CHLA.

He is a member of the American Society of Nephrology. Sedrakyan’s laboratory investigates the pro-fibrotic events driving the initiation and progression of chronic kidney disease and uses non-traditional stem cell-based strategies as an alternative therapy to treat disease progression.

He established the first evidence that stem cells derived from amniotic fluid have clinical potential to suppress renal fibrosis, promote regeneration and improve kidney function. Moreover, he has shown that stem cell activities are mediated through secretion of extracellular nano-vesicles loaded with bioactive molecules. In particular, this work provided the first evidence of nano-vesicle mediated regulation of “vascular endothelial growth factor signaling in kidney vascular cells by a tapping mechanism.

Currently, Sedrakyan is working on the development of nano-vesicles as a translational therapeutic strategy to treat kidney diseases. In the Armenian community, Sargis worked with Unified Young Armenians organization to encourage the Diaspora and especially the youth to take active role in many Armenian related issues and to promote the Armenian heritage through education of Armenian history, language and culture.