The Stem Cell Podcast

Guest: Dr. Ilyas Singeç is the Director of the Stem Cell Translation Laboratory at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, where he leads a group of scientists working to address efficiency, reproducibility, scalability, and other roadblocks in the translation of iPSCs into therapies. He discusses the standardization of stem cell differentiation, high-throughput cell culture, personalized medicine, and the potential for biomanufacturing in space. Featured Products and Resources: Survey Report: Where Is Pluripotent Stem Cell Research Now? Try the New Standard in hPSC Maintenance: mTeSR™ Plus Medium The Stem Cell Science Round Up Blastoid Implantation in Endometrial Organoids – Scientists generated blastoids, performed single-cell analysis of the trophectoderm, epiblast, and primitive endoderm, and implanted them into open-faced endometrial organoids. Pancreatic Progenitor Implants for Type 1 Diabetes – Pancreatic endoderm cells implanted in patients with type 1 diabetes were well-tolerated and induced meal-regulated insulin secretion. YAP Signaling in Dry Mouth – Stimulating YAP activity promotes regeneration of mouse and human salivary gland cells after injury. Cardiac and Gut Tissues in Multilineage Organoids – Scientists developed a human multilineage iPSC-derived organoid that recapitulates cooperative cardiac and gut development and maturation. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Ilyas Singeç Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Sara Wickström is the Sigrid Juselius Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Helsinki, and was recently appointed as the new Director of Cell and Tissue Dynamics at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine. Her research focuses on how mechanical forces act in collaboration with cellular signals to influence cell fate and position. She discusses her work on mechanotransduction and its applications for cell culture and organ engineering, as well as her research on the hair follicle stem cell niche. She also talks about running an interdisciplinary lab, and what could make academia a more attractive career path. Featured Products and Resources: Keep current with the latest in dermal cell research Browse the #StemCellfie image gallery The Stem Cell Science Round Up Single-Cell Analysis of a Gastrulating Human Embryo – Researchers found primordial germ cells, red blood cells, and various mesodermal and endodermal cell types, but no neurons, in a post-implantation embryo. Patient-Derived Organoid Models of Schizophrenia – Scientists generated patient-derived cerebral organoids to model schizophrenia neuropathology in early development. X Chromosome Inactivation in Cynomolgus Monkeys – Researchers elucidated a distinct mechanism for X chromosome inactivation in cynomolgus monkeys, which could serve as a model for human development. Deep Learning for Multiplex Image Analysis – Scientists developed a training dataset and algorithm to quantify cell morphology from tissue imaging data. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Sara Wickström Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Christine Mummery is a Professor of Developmental Biology at the Leiden University Medical Center and the former President of the International Society for Stem Cell Research. She pioneered studies on cardiomyocytes from human embryonic stem cells and was among the first to inject them in mouse hearts after myocardial infarction. She talks about her recent research developing multi-lineage cardiac model systems like microtissues and organ-chips. Featured Products and Resources: Keep current with the latest in muscle cell research Webinar on modeling arrhythmias using hPSC-derived cardiomyocytes The Stem Cell Science Round Up High-Resolution Whole Organ Imaging – Researchers used synchrotron X-ray tomography to image whole human organs at the cellular level, including lungs infected with SARS-CoV-2. Fasting and Cancer Stem Cell Escape – In cancer cells, a fasting-mimicking diet activates starvation escape mechanisms that can be targeted. Tracking HSPC Clones in Zebrafish – Scientists color coded blood stem cells in zebrafish to see which clones became dominant. A Braking Mechanism for Cardiac Fibroblast Activation – Hif-1α prevents excessive cardiac fibroblast proliferation following myocardial infarction by regulating reactive oxygen species. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Christine Mummery Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Kate Rubins is a NASA astronaut and microbiologist. She has completed two expeditions to the International Space Station and spent 300 days in space. She became the first person to sequence DNA in space in 2016, and grew cardiomyocytes in cell culture (in collaboration with Arun in Joseph Wu’s lab at Stanford) while in orbit.  She has a PhD in Cancer Biology from Stanford University and studied viral diseases as a Fellow/Principal Investigator at the Whitehead Institute. Featured Products and Resources: Keep current with the latest in muscle cell research. Differentiate hPSCs using STEMDIFFTM Cardiomyocyte Differentiation Kit The Stem Cell Science Round Up Metabolic Hubs to Regulate HSC Stemness – Researchers identified a non-classical retinoid signaling axis that maintains HSC function. A Brain Organoid Slice Model for ALS/FTD – iPSC-derived cortical organoid slices displayed the early pathology of ALS/FTD, which could be reversed with a small molecule. Growing Human Neural Tubes – Scientists used HSCs in a chip-based system to recreate neural tube folding in vitro. Perfecting Lizard Tail Regeneration – CRISPR-edited embryonic neural stem cells were engrafted to adult lizard tail stumps, allowing the tails to regrow with their original patterning of skeleton, nerve, and cartilage. Photo Reference: Courtesy of NASA Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Maria Millan is the President and CEO of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, which aims to accelerate stem cell treatments for patients with unmet medical needs. Dr. Millan is a physician-scientist who has devoted her career to treating and developing innovative solutions for children and adults with debilitating and life-threatening conditions, both as a transplant surgeon and in the private sector. Featured Products and Resources: Subscribe to Science News for free weekly newsletters on the latest in cell biology research. Try the New Standard in hPSC Maintenance: mTeSR™ Plus Medium The Stem Cell Science Round Up Why Some Skin Is More Sensitive – By imaging neurons in mice, researchers found that sensory neurons in areas of the body that are more sensitive to touch form stronger connections to the brain stem. Hair Shaft Shrinkage Depletes Stem Cells – Shrinking of the hair shaft causes hair follicle stem cell loss through Piezo1 signaling. Genetic Regulation of Brain Development – Scientists identified a transcription factor expressed in neural progenitors that influences developmental timing in the early human brain. The Emergence of Rabbit Primordial Germ Cells – Researchers studied rabbit primordial germ cells during gastrulation, and used iPSCs to generate rabbit primordial germ cell-like cells. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Maria Millan Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Paul Knoepfler is a Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, the Genome Center, and the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Davis. His lab is interested in the epigenetics of stem cells and cancer, and uses cutting-edge molecular, cellular, and developmental biology methods as well as genomic and gene editing technologies to answer key questions in these areas of research. Dr. Knoepfler is also a well-known science communicator, regularly blogging about regenerative medicine and CRISPR in order to fact-check and educate patients about unproven stem cell clinics. Featured Products and Resources: Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Quality Survey Results: Pluripotent Stem Cell Research The Stem Cell Science Round Up Turning Back the Clock on Heart Damage – Researchers found that cardiomyocytes can be reprogrammed to a pluripotent state when the expression of pluripotency factors is sustained over an extended period. A New Hope for Epilepsy – Reprogramming glial cells into interneurons decreased seizures in a pre-clinical mouse model of epilepsy. Cell Communication in the Bone Marrow Niche – Scientists discovered that stress enhances the production of extracellular tRNA-containing vesicles by osteoblasts, which are taken up by hematopoietic progenitors. Attacking Autophagy in Cancer – Using patient-derived chronic myeloid leukemia cells, researchers showed that ULK1 is responsible for tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance through the induction of autophagy. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Paul Knoepfler Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Jennifer Trowbridge is an Associate Professor at the Jackson Laboratory and an Adjunct Professor at Tufts University. Her lab studies genetics and epigenetics in hematopoietic stem cell biology and leukemia. Their long-term goal is to identify new intervention strategies to extend the “healthspan” of HSCs by maintaining their robust regeneration capacity into older age and reducing risk of development of blood cancers. Featured Products and Resources: Use STEMvision™ for Automated Hematopoietic CFU Assay Imaging & Analysis. Visit the Hematopoiesis Resource Center for videos, tips, and protocols to help with your research questions. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Reversing Cardiotoxicity from Chemotherapy – Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in patient-derived cardiomyocytes can be reduced with retinoic acid receptor-γ agonists. Heart Vascularization in Infant Development – Researchers showed that the embryonic coronary plexus expands through the DLL4–NOTCH1 signaling pathway to vascularize the myocardium. iPSC-Derived NK Cells for Immunotherapy – Scientists used gene-edited iPSCs to derive natural killer (NK) cells that showed anti-tumor activity in vivo. Origins of Pancreatic Cancer – Through lineage-tracing, researchers found a link between renewal mechanisms in the exocrine pancreas and initiation of pancreatic carcinogenesis. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Jennifer Trowbridge Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guests: In this special episode of the Stem Cell Podcast, we speak with three postdocs from different parts of the world about their research in and outside of the lab. Dr. Bria Macklin is a Postdoc at the Gladstone Institutes. Her PhD research at Johns Hopkins used functional assays to characterize the interactions between different vascular cell types in 3D. Her current lab uses stem cell differentiation and morphogenesis to engineer three-dimensional, multicellular systems. Dr. Matthew Sinton is a Postdoctoral Research Assistant at the University of Glasgow. In his PhD, Dr. Sinton developed a new human pluripotent stem cell model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and used it to explore the effects of hepatic lipid accumulation on mitochondrial energy metabolism. His current postdoctoral project centers around TH2 immunity, and how it is regulated by infection-associated metabolic changes. Dr. Leili Rohani is a Postdoc at the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on engineering heart tissues for cell therapy, and she is a science communication and Twitter enthusiast. Featured Products and Resources: STEMCELL Technologies is Hiring! Subscribe to Science News for free weekly newsletters on the latest in cell biology research. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Microvessels Improve Islet Transplantation – Microvessels isolated from adipose tissue improved cell survival and glucose responses of human islets and hESC-derived pancreatic cells in mouse models of Type 1 diabetes. Beta Cell Biogenesis – Ngn3-expressing ductal cells are a source of adult β cell neogenesis in homeostasis and diabetes. Whole-Body Regeneration in Planaria – Scientists found that all three germ layers respond to amputation in Schmidtea mediterranea. From Nose to Knee: Cartilage Grafts for Osteoarthritis – Researchers generated cartilage grafts from the nasal chondrocyte and used them to treat osteoarthritis in mice, sheep, and two human patients. Stem Cell-Derived Steak  – Scientists 3D printed muscle, fat, and vascular cell fibers to construct a Wagyu-like steak. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Drs. Bria Macklin, Matthew Sinton, and Leili Rohani Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Connie Eaves is a Distinguished Scientist at the Terry Fox Laboratory at the British Columbia Cancer Agency and a Professor of Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on leukemia and breast cancer and the normal tissues in which these diseases originate. Her pioneering research in basic blood stem cell biology led to a breakthrough in treatment for leukemia. Featured Products and Resources: Keep current with the latest in mammary cell research. Visit the Hematopoiesis Resource Center for videos, tips, and protocols to help with your research questions. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Brain Organoids with Optic Vesicles – Researchers generated human brain organoids with bilateral, light-sensitive optic vesicles. Clonal Mosaicism in Sperm – Scientists found that mosaic mutations, which can affect offspring and subsequent generations, arise in embryonic development and are present in the sperm of one in 15 men. Stem Cells in Skeletal Aging – Aging reduces the ability of skeletal stem cells to maintain a balance between bone formation and destruction. Maintaining HSC Fitness Ex Vivo – Heat shock factor 1 promotes HSC fitness and proteostasis in response to culture stress and aging. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Connie Eaves Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Ken Poss is the James B. Duke Professor of Cell Biology and Head of the Duke Regeneration Center at Duke University. His lab investigates the initial morphogenesis and injury-induced regeneration of several tissues in zebrafish. He is also President of the newly-founded International Society for Regenerative Biology. Featured Products and Resources: Using Social Media to Advance Your Scientific Career Activate, Expand, and Differentiate with Cytokines, Chemokines, and Growth Factors The Stem Cell Science Round Up A 4D Atlas of C. elegans Embryogenesis – Researchers generated a single-cell spatiotemporal atlas of transcription factors in C. elegans embryogenesis. Lysosomal Regulation of Stem Cell Fate – Scientists found that lysosomal activity regulates hematopoietic stem cell fate. Ductal and Mesenchymal Cells in Liver Regeneration – Researchers generated liver organoids and found that the ratio and number of contacts between ductal and mesenchymal cells regulate regeneration. Extending Life Span with VEGF – Researchers found reduced VEGF signaling in key organs in aged mice, and showed that VEGF-treated mice lived longer and had an extended health span. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Ken Poss Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe