The Stem Cell Podcast

Guest: Dr. Sheila Chari is the Editor-in-Chief at the journal Cell Stem Cell, and Executive Editor at Cell Press. After completing her postdoc, she moved away from the bench and became the Reviews Editor at Cell Stem Cell. As the Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Chari’s primary responsibilities are knowing and publishing the top stem cell discoveries, driving journal publishing strategy, and managing a global editorial staff. Featured Products and Resources: Digital and Remote Resources for Your Lab Stem Cell Science Newsletters The Stem Cell Science Round Up Improved Stem Cell-Derived Beta Cells – The quality of stem cell-derived beta cells can be improved by enriching the culture for specific subpopulations that differentiate homogeneously into pancreatic progenitors. CRISPR Screening for Tumor Drivers – A new organoid-based platform has been developed to identify drivers of cancer using CRISPR-Cas9. Working Together to Heal the Heart – Researchers have identified two transcription factors that work together to regulate cardiomyocyte maturation and proliferation, and whose deletion can initiate heart regeneration. How the Prostate Gland Regenerates – Investigators have found that prostate regeneration is not only driven by rare stem cells, as previously thought, but also by a large population of differentiated cells. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Sheila Chari Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Josef Penninger is the Director of both the Life Sciences Institute at the University of British Columbia, and the Institute for Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, Austria. He was previously on the podcast to talk about his research developing human blood vessel organoids. Recently, Dr. Penninger’s team has identified a trial drug that can significantly block early stages of COVID-19 infection in human blood vessel and kidney organoids. Featured Products and Resources: Tools for COVID-19 Research Studying COVID-19 with Air-Liquid Interface Cultures COVID-19 Round Up COVID Drugs Cause Heart Abnormalities – Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin have been considered possible drugs for COVID-19. But patients treated with the drugs had prolonged QT intervals that can lead to arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Monkeys Protected by COVID-19 Vaccine – For the first time, a COVID-19 vaccine candidate has protected rhesus macaques from being infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. New, Rapid COVID-19 Test – A new diagnostic test for COVID-19 has been established that uses CRISPR-Cas12 to identify the SARS-CoV-2 virus in samples in less than 40 minutes. SARS-CoV-2 Mapped Out – Investigators have generated a high-resolution map of the SARS-CoV-2 transcriptome and epitranscriptome, gaining insights into unknown RNA transcripts and RNA modification sites. Cell Likely Targeted by the COVID-19 Virus – Researchers have uncovered subsets of cells in the lung, the nasal passages, and the intestine that co-express ACE2 and TMPRSS2, which promote cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2. Nose Cells Identified as Likely COVID-19 Virus Entry Point – High expression levels of two viral entry-associated genes have been found in nasal epithelial cells, highlighting the cells’ potential role in initial viral infection. Heart Model for COVID-19 Infection –  To study cardiomyocyte-specific infection by SARS-CoV-2, scientists have developed a model system using iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes that is susceptible to infection and expresses low levels of ACE2. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Josef Penninger Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Darcy Wagner is an Associate Professor in the Lung Bioengineering and Regeneration group at the Lund Stem Cell Center. Her team uses a multidisciplinary approach to understand how the extracellular environment directs stem cell behavior for endogenous and exogenous lung tissue regeneration. Featured Products and Resources: #StemCellfie Contest Digital and Remote Resources for Your Lab The Stem Cell Science Round Up Reprogrammed Skin Cells Restore Sight – A new technique has been developed to chemically reprogram skin fibroblasts directly into photoreceptor-like cells. The cells restored vision when transplanted into blind mice. Injured Adult Brain Reverts to Embryonic State – Scientists have found that injured adult neurons revert to an embryonic transcriptional state that makes them capable of regenerating. Adipocytes Needed for Skin Repair – Researchers have found that adipocytes near injured skin promote the release of lipids that are necessary for initiating inflammation after tissue injury, and promoting repair. Exercise Rejuvenates Old Muscle Stem Cells – Investigators have shown that regular exercise improved muscle repair and reactivated muscle stem cells by restoring Cyclin D1. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Darcy Wagner Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Among his many appointments, Dr. Deepak Srivastava is the President of the Gladstone Institutes and the International Society for Stem Cell Research, and co-founder of Tenaya Therapeutics. His lab investigates the gene networks that guide cardiogenesis by developing models of heart disease using patient-derived iPSCs and CRISPR technology. Featured Products and Resources: Webinar: Modeling Arrhythmias Using hPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes and Tracking Their Excitability STEMdiff™ Cardiomyocyte Media The Stem Cell Science Round Up Reconstructing the Human Developmental Clock – By using iPSCs to mimic signaling pathways active during early development, scientists have reconstructed the human segmentation clock to model somitogenesis. Transition from Progenitor to Mature Adipocyte – Investigators have shown that platelet-derived growth factor receptors, which are markers of adipocyte progenitors, are cell-autonomous inhibitors of adipocyte differentiation. Exploiting Vulnerabilities in Pancreatic Cancer – A senescence-inducing therapy has been shown to sensitize therapy-resistant pancreatic tumors to checkpoint blockade drugs by causing vascular remodeling. Lessons in Graft Remodeling – Combining a clinical trial, computational studies and a sheep model, researchers have found that stenosis caused by tissue-engineered vascular grafts could resolve spontaneously, and provides insight for future graft design. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Deepak Srivastava Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Jeanne Loring is a Professor Emeritus and Director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at the Scripps Research Institute, and the Co-Founder of Aspen Neuroscience. Her lab works on a diverse range of projects using iPSCs, including developing cell replacement therapies for Parkinson’s disease, sending neural organoids into space, and partnering with the San Diego Zoo to make iPSCs from engangered species. Featured Products and Resources: mTeSR™ Plus Quality Control – Pluripotent Stem Cell Research The Stem Cell Science Round Up HIV Cured with Stem Cell Transplant – A second patient has been cured of HIV through a stem cell transplantation from donor cells that did not express the CCR5 gene. Combining Methods to Diagnose Cancer – A new method to diagnose and classify lymphomas and leukemias has been developed that combines microscopy, mass cytometry and machine learning. 3D Cancer Model Reveals Drivers of Disease – Investigators have created a lung cancer-spheroid model, and performed CRISPR screens to identify drivers that are essential for cancer growth in 3D and in vivo, but not in 2D. Muscle Stem Cell Atlas – Researchers have used single-cell analysis to investigate the cell communication interactions involved in muscle repair, compiling the findings into a “cell atlas” of muscle regeneration. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Jeanne Loring Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Joy Wu is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Stanford University, and a a board-certified endocrinologist.  With both basic and translational research, her lab investigates stem cell therapies for bone formation and the prevention of cancer metastases to bone, as well as the bone marrow hematopoietic niche. Featured Products and Resources: Embryonic Stem Cell News mTeSR™ Plus The Stem Cell Science Round Up Diabetes in Mice Cured with Stem Cells – By targeting the cytoskeleton, investigators were able to improve the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to pancreatic β cells, and reverse diabetes when transplanting the cells into mice. New CRISPR Tools for Knock-Ins – A new CRISPR tool, called CRISPR–HOT, enables fast and efficient generation of knock-in human organoids through non-homologous end joining. Making Humanized Organs in Pigs – Host endothelium in donor organs is a source of immune rejection. Researchers generated viable human-pig chimeric embryos whose endothelial cells were entirely human-derived. Scorpion Toxin to Target Brain Cancer – A clinical trial has been launched to evaluate a CAR T-cell therapy for glioblastoma that uses a scorpion venom peptide. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Joy Wu Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Thomas Reh is a Professor of Biological Structure at the University of Washington School of Medicine. His lab is studying retinal development and disease using organoids, and developing methods of transplanting stem cells for retinal repair in non-human primates. Their goal is to stimulate more effective regeneration in the retina to restore vision in people that have lost their sight. Featured Products and Resources: Pluripotent Stem Cell Research Survey STEMCELL Technologies Organoid Training Course The Stem Cell Science Round Up Curing Cystic Fibrosis in Human Cells – Investigators have safely edited and repaired mutations in the CFTR gene using a Cas9 alternative in human cells derived from a cystic fibrosis intestinal organoid biobank. New Technique to Analyze Cancer Organoids – A new mass spectrometry technique has enabled the analysis of post-translational modifications and cell-type-specific signaling in intestinal organoids. Scientists Discover How the Intestine Heals Itself – Researchers have found that restoration of damaged intestinal stem cells is due to de-differentiation of their daughter cells, rather than through a reserve pool of stem cells. Improved Stem Cell Model of Early Developing Mouse Embryo – Scientists have developed a more advanced method for generating gastruloids – complex embryo-like structures developed from mouse embryonic stem cells. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Thomas Reh Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Priye Iworima is a PhD student at the University of British Columbia. Her project is focused on developing and optimizing a differentiation protocol for generating insulin-producing cells derived from stem cells that could be used as a potential therapy for type 1 diabetes. She is also working on optimizing process parameters to facilitate the large scale manufacturing of the cells. Featured Products and Resources:  STEMCELL Technologies Training Programs Webinar: Understanding Pancreatic Development and Diabetes Using Patient-Specific iPS Cells The Stem Cell Science Round Up Live Imaging of Stem Cells – For the first time, hematopoietic stem cells have been visualized in their native niche, without need for transplantation. Parkinson’s May Start before Birth – Using an iPSC-derived model of young-onset Parkinson’s, investigators have identified a molecular signature of the disease and a possible therapeutic target. Researchers Build a Better Lung Model – Researchers have used systems biology and machine learning to understand the development of hPSC-derived alveolar epithelial cells. Not “Brains in a Dish” – Scientists have shown that cortical organoids do not develop distinctive cell types or organization, thereby failing to model human brain development. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Priye Iworima Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Kacey Ronaldson-Bouchard is an Associate Research Scientist in the Laboratory for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering at Columbia University, focusing on biomedical engineering. She is also the co-founder of TARA Biosystems, which offers physiologically relevant human “heart-on-a-chip” tissue models for cardiac risk assessment and drug discovery applications. She also a strong supporter of initiatives that mentor young women to pursue STEM related fields. Featured Products and Resources:  Muscle Cell News STEMdiff™Cardiomyocyte Media  The Stem Cell Science Round Up Strong Blood Vessel Graft Created – Vascular grafts have been engineered from iPSC-derived smooth muscle cells with comparable strength to the original blood vessels. New Method for Lung Regeneration – Through a procedure similar to bone marrow transplantation, investigators were able to induce lung regeneration without the need for chronic immune suppression. How Stress Causes Grey Hair – Scientists have discovered that stress activates sympathetic nerves that are part of the fight-or-flight response, driving the depletion of pigment-regenerating stem cells in hair follicles. Biodegradable Bridge for Nerve Injury – Researchers have created a biodegradable scaffold that releases a growth-promoting protein that can regenerate long sections of damaged nerves, without the need for transplanting cells. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Kacey Ronaldson-Bouchard Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Todd McDevitt is a Senior Investigator at the Gladstone Institutes. He is also Program Director of the University of California, San Francisco’s Bioengineering Graduate Program (joint with UC Berkeley), and a Professor at UCSF’s Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences. His research focuses on engineering 3D, multicellular systems that can be used to study principles of stem cell and developmental biology. Featured Products and Resources: Webinar: Modeling Arrhythmias Using hPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes and Tracking Their Excitability  mTeSR™ Plus The Stem Cell Science Round Up Improving Stem Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury – Researchers have found that modulating the microenvironment of neurons after a spinal cord injury can improve the efficacy of neural progenitor cell grafts. Brain Organoids Reveal Glioblastoma Origins – Scientists have created a glioblastoma tumor cell atlas that demonstrates heterogeneity, and used cortical organoids to model tumor invasion. Single-Cell Profiling of the Human Heart – Investigators analyzed cells from normal, failed, and partially recovered human hearts at single cell resolution to better understand the cellular composition and interactions of the adult human heart. Engineering Chamber-Specific Heart Models – Clinically relevant engineered heart tissues were generated from hPSCs, and were successful in modeling cardiac disease. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Todd McDevitt Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe