What have been some recent stem cell and/or regenerative medicine papers that are worth some extra thought and reading? There have been some cool ones. Note, for fun you can fast forward ahead to 2020 to see some of the recommended reads there. There was of course the very important Mitalipov group paper comparing NT […]
Some cool recent stem cell papers: recommended reading Read More »
Just how good are human embryonic stem (ES) cells made by therapeutic cloning via nuclear transfer, with the successful technique first reported by the lab of Shoukhrat Mitalipov at OHSU last year? How do they compare to induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells or traditional ES cells made from IVF embryos? A new paper in Nature directly tackles these
Review of Mitalipov Nature paper: cloned ES cells vs iPS cells Read More »
It was great being a postdoc in Bob Eisenman’s Lab at the Hutch in Seattle with colleagues like fellow postdoc Shaun Cowley. I loved it. Bob is a great mentor (see more on my experience there here) and the scientific interactions in the lab were wonderful. It’s been fun and interesting to follow the work
Cool paper by Shaun Cowley Lab on the role of HDACs in ES cells Read More »
A new patent has been awarded to James Sherley for a very unusual method claimed for making induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. The patent, No. 8,759,098, claims that a single non-genetic chemical agent, xanthine, can by itself reprogram adult stem cells (ASC) into iPS cells (aka iPSCs; see image they released at left). Surprising patent, huh? Another
Sherley patent for reprogramming method like STAP cells Read More »
It’s been an important week for stem cells. Although I’ve been busy working on multiple grants and papers, when I take a break I like to read up on what’s been going on with stem cells. What are the top stem cell stories and headlines of the week? CIRM awarded Asterias (a subsidiary of BioTime)
TGIF stem cell headlines of week: Asterias, lasers, immunity, & more Read More »
They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing and more specifically I say that a little stem cell training for MDs, such as from A4M, can potentially be a dangerous problem too. I’ve been very concerned about self-proclaimed “stem cell training courses” for MDs. These kinds of courses have claimed that over as short as a
Will Speedy A4M Stem Cell Course for Docs Put Patients at Risk? Read More »
Very small embryonic-like stem cells aka VSELs are reported to be tiny adult stem cells that are pluripotent or non-existent depending on whom you talk to most recently or which paper you just read. These very controversial cells (which I once compared to the Sasquatch) have a wildly fluctuating history with their existence on multiple occasions
Wild History of VSELs Predicts Future of STAP Cells? Read More »
I don’t know about you, but this whole STAP stem cell thing has got me kind of bummed out. Last night I was thinking to perhaps stop blogging about it as the situation turns darker, but it seems like it wouldn’t do any good to ignore it. The ostrich with head in the sand approach
STAP stem cell new allegations: situation turns darker 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 »
In two Nature papers (here and here) published today researchers report the astounding finding of reprogramming differentiated cells back to a pluripotent or even totipotent state simply by exposing the cells to extreme environmental stress, creating cells they called STAP cells. Update: see more thoughts on STAP stem cells here. STAP cells: stressing the cell
Review of Obokata STAP cells Nature papers Read More »