The Stem Cell Podcast

Ep. 328: “Modeling Human Microenvironments” Featuring Dr. Abdullah Khan

Aug 18, 2026
Dr. Abdullah Khan, Oxford tissue-engineering researcher and MRC group leader, explores how complex human models reveal cellular crosstalk in development, aging, and disease. He discusses engineered bone marrow, heart–marrow communication, immune recruitment, perfusion, and the challenges of scaling multi-organoid platforms. He also shares thoughts on scientific creativity, collaboration, and his passion for drumming.
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INSIGHT

Chromatin Reset Rescues Weak hPSC Lines

  • Reduced neural differentiation reflects posteriorization and erosion of bivalent chromatin marks rather than DNA methylation alone.
  • Chromatin restoration rescued compromised hPSC lines, potentially making patient-specific differentiation more reproducible.
INSIGHT

3D Tumor Models Reveal Hidden Cancer Dependencies

  • Large tumor-organoid collections reveal cancer dependencies and subtypes that conventional two-dimensional cell lines miss.
  • Glioblastoma and gastrointestinal cancers showed especially important biology in three-dimensional models, including context-specific drug sensitivities.
INSIGHT

Mechanical Forces Build Better Heart Valve Models

  • Valve assembloids reproduce disease-relevant interactions among endothelial cells, interstitial cells, extracellular matrix, and mechanical forces.
  • Mechanical force shapes structure, endothelial conditions preserve it, and shear stress stratifies the matrix.
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