STAP cells

Beginning of End for STAP Cell Story? Possible Outcomes

The_End_Book

A host of problems have emerged related to the two Nature papers on STAP cells and other publications by some of the same authors. It’s only been just shy of 6 weeks since these papers came out, but doesn’t it feel like about 5 years? Where will this all end? (update in 2020: closer to …

Beginning of End for STAP Cell Story? Possible Outcomes Read More »

Reactions to RIKEN’s STAP cell protocol

STAP-from-T-cells

A small group of the STAP authors via RIKEN have now released a detailed protocol also available at Nature Protocol Exchange for making STAP stem cells entitled “Essential technical tips for STAP cell conversion culture from somatic cells”. This comes about 5 weeks after publication of their Nature STAP stem cell papers. 2020 update: With the 4th and …

Reactions to RIKEN’s STAP cell protocol Read More »

Latest STAP stem cell whispers: glimmers of hope or mirages?

si-Haruko

On the STAP cell front, I’ve heard several reports now that labs can sometimes see some kind of either Oct4-GFP reporter activity or pluripotency gene expression in acid treated cells, but the scientists do not seem particularly encouraged. One said that the cells gave a glimmer of interesting gene expression, but would not grow at …

Latest STAP stem cell whispers: glimmers of hope or mirages? Read More »

Interview with Dr. Teru Wakayama on STAP stem cells

wakayama

I asked Dr. Teruhiko Wakayama, who goes by Teru to those who know him, if he would be willing to do a Q&A on the STAP stem cell situation. Teru was senior author on the STAP stem cell Nature letter on chimerism, but was not a senior (note this is a correction from an earlier version of this …

Interview with Dr. Teru Wakayama on STAP stem cells Read More »

Are STAP Stem Cell Nature Papers Compromised?

LOW-RES-credit-Haruko-Obokata.jpg

Are the Nature STAP stem cell papers compromised? Could Nature‘s investigation conclude with something as serious as retraction or rather a mild slap on the wrist? Somewhere in between? (note you may find this update post from 2020 to be of interest: Whatever happened to the STAP cell scientists including Haruko Obokata?) Why is this question …

Are STAP Stem Cell Nature Papers Compromised? Read More »

STAP 3.0: Patent, New Paper Problems, & Poll Plummet

STAP-stem-cells-hope-or-mirage-201x3001

People have been taking a long look over the last 24 hours or so at the STAP stem cell patent application filed by Charles Vacanti, his brother, Obokata, and others. Any reactions? I don’t know much about patents so I’d be curious of your impressions. New STAP paper troubles? I’m hearing through the stem grapevine …

STAP 3.0: Patent, New Paper Problems, & Poll Plummet Read More »