Google Stem Cell News Stories: Perspectives

What does Google think (if Google does indeed think) are top 10 stem cell news stories right now?

I took a screen shot below.

Here are some thoughts on those stories.

First, lung organoids are neat, but they have been grown before by several groups. Why is that the top story? I’d have to ask Google. Better PR? Still looks interesting and could have real impact for lung disease in the future.

The second story is on the transplantation of allogeneic IPS cells into monkeys without immunosuppression.This is an important finding with clinical impact from Dr. Takahashi’s group.

That third story seems odd to me. Seems like an over the top claim.

The fourth one with its “for the first time” I’m not so sure about and number five seems to be on the same story. I have doubts about that trial given the lack of detail and the potential for harm to patients. It sounds premature.

Then we have cancer stem cell stories at number six and another at number eight.

Number seven and ten both refer to the experience of one patient in the Asterias stem cells for spinal cord injury trial. Number ten’s headline is dubious from a scientific perspective with its “as a result” claiming the stem cells made the man better for sure. I really hope that’s true, but we don’t know yet although more recent data on more patients is encouraging. Controls are needed in the long run to iron things out.

Number nine is about stem cell clinics. It seems to be the only one mentioning the historic FDA stem cell meeting this week.