What’s the latest surprise on the STAP cell front? There have been many unexpected turn along the way in the past few weeks of the rollercoaster ride the stem cell field is on related to STAP stem cells, the super powerful stem cells reportedly (in two papers in Nature) made “simply” by exposing cells to […]
Nature Post-Pub Examination of Its Own STAP Cell Papers Breaks New Ground Read More »
We know quite a bit more about the Nature papers on stress-induced STAP stem cells than we did just a couple weeks ago when they were published, but there are many crucial outstanding questions too and odd things that remain unresolved. Below are my top STAP stem cell oddities. 10. Dr. Vacanti says that STAP
Oddest Things About Unfolding STAP Stem Cell Story Read More »
Today may be a turning point for STAP cells. Nature itself opened up in a newsy piece about the events that have occurred in the past couple weeks since they published two related papers on acid/other stimulus-induced powerful pluripotent or totipotent stem cells (aka STAP stem cells). Update: Science also published a news piece on
STAP cells update 2.0: method isn’t working so far, investigations & more Read More »
I’ve been doing polling on people’s views about STAP stem cells. You can see the week 1 poll results here. I’ve just closed the week 2 polling and the results are above. In week 1 while there was a significant split between respondents, the polling leaned clearly toward people being more positive about STAP stem
STAP cells week 2 poll results: more uncertainty Read More »
Sometimes you think you know a person and they suddenly surprise you by doing something so new that it is shocking or by taking on a new personality. Cells can be that way too. In my book on stem cells, Stem Cells: An Insider’s Guide (you can buy it here on Amazon–it’s very affordable–or also here at
New Ways of Thinking About Stem Cells: Book Excerpt Read More »
It is important for the stem cell field to gain clarity on STAP cells. For this reason it is reasonable and at times helpful to critically discuss the data, past findings, concerns about elements of publications, and such. However, it is not helpful and is in fact against the policy of this blog to engage
Note on policy on commenting and how it relates to STAP cells situation Read More »
What’s the latest on the now two-week-old STAP stem cell saga? More preliminary data from around the world. People continue to deposit their data into our crowdsourcing page with 8 reports so far and I know some of them are from top-notch labs. Only one of them is even slightly encouraging with a report of
STAP stem cell update: more prelim data, missing data, & 2011 paper problems Read More »
I’m interested in tracking potential dynamic changes in people’s view of STAP stem cells. So about once a week I’m going to start a new poll on the extent to which you readers believe in them. Below is week two’s STAP poll. So if you’ve voted in the previous poll (which garnered more than 500 responses) you
Do you believe in STAP stem cells new poll: week two Read More »
Update: I’ve set up a STAP new data page where people can share their results, thoughts, etc. The report of STAP stem cells has shaken things up. The idea that you can easily make powerful stem cells with a simple acid treatment or other sources of cellular stress has definitely caught the attention of the world of
Invitation to crowdsource STAP stem cell follow up data here Read More »
If you take an ordinary cucumber and soak it in a mild acid solution of vinegar for a few weeks you get a pickle, which is where we find STAP stem cells. Recently, some scientists reported in Nature that if you take ordinary cells and soak them in a mild acid solution for 30 minutes,
In a pickle over STAP stem cells: main reasons for skepticism Read More »