Ep. 118: “Synthetic Embryos” Featuring Dr. Nicolas Rivron

Guest: Dr. Nicolas Rivron leads the Laboratory for Synthetic Embryology at the MERLN Institute for technology-driven regenerative medicine and at the Hubrecht Institute for Developmental Biology and Stem Cell Research. His laboratory created the blastoid system, the first model of early, pre-implantation embryos made in a dish from stem cells. Featured Resource: STEMdiff™ Trilineage Differentiation Kit - Functional Assay Kit to Assess Pluripotency by Directed Differentiation of Human ES and iPS Cells to All Three Germ Layers Resources and Links Update on Deadly Nipah Virus - As the rare virus claims more lives in the Indian state of Kerala, concerns have been raised about the potential of Nipah to become a global health emergency. Genetics of Flower Smells - An analysis of rose genes, including of those in the heirloom rose 'Old Blush', identifies overlooked ways the plants make some of their sweet-smelling compounds. Chicxulub Asteroid Impact Caused the Planet to Warm Up for 100,000 Years - The asteroid that hit Earth about 66 million years ago, wiping out most of the planet’s life, also spewed carbon dioxide into the air and warmed up the planet by about 5 degrees Celsius. Microbes May Influence Multiple Sclerosis - Scientists found a link between molecules released by commensal bacteria and the degree of inflammation in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. ‘Reprogrammed’ Stem Cells Approved to Mend Human Hearts for the First Time - The latest clinical use of induced pluripotent stem cells excites researchers, but some fear the therapy will be rushed to market. Hybrid-Human Chicken Embryos - A new technique reveals the earliest stages of human development without the need for human embryos. Embryonic Mammary Gland Stem Cells Identified - Researchers define for the first time the mechanisms responsible for mammary gland development. Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow Regulates Neural Stem Cell Division - The authors found that ion channels play a key role in mediating force signals to neural stem cells to activate them. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Nicolas Rivron Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe