What's Your Problem? Mass-Producing Stem Cells to Cure Disease
Jan 15, 2026
Nabiha Saklayen, co-founder and CEO of Cellino, dives into the world of induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) and their potential to revolutionize treatments for diseases like Parkinson's and leukemia. She highlights the current artisanal nature of iPSC manufacturing, which hampers accessibility and speed. With a physics background, Nabiha discusses her innovative approach using lasers for automation, her efforts to create closed 'Nebula' systems, and collaborations for clinical trials. The future looks bright, with hopes for broader treatment options within just a few years.
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iPSCs Offer Promise But Face A Manufacturing Wall
- Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can become any human cell and offer huge therapeutic potential.
- But current iPSC manufacturing is slow, artisanal, and costs hundreds of thousands per patient, limiting real-world impact.
Personal Loss Redirected A Career
- Nabiha Saklayen changed career plans after her grandmother died of uncontrolled diabetes.
- That loss pushed her to apply physics and lasers to medical problems instead of pursuing pure physics research.
Artisanal Lab Work Blocks Scale
- iPSC workflows are artisanal: scientists visually inspect and physically remove unwanted cells by hand.
- This labor-intensity creates a bottleneck that prevents scaling therapies to large patient populations.
