Guest: Dr. Charles Murry is the Woods Professor of Pathology, Bioengineering and Medicine/Cardiology at the University of Washington. He also serves as Director of the UW’s Heart Regeneration Program, with the goal of achieving stem cell-based heart regeneration in patients. He has recently published a paper that used stem cell derived heart cells to treat heart damage in monkeys. Featured Resource: CloneR™ Defined Supplement for Single-Cell Cloning of Human ES and iPS Cells Resources and Links Leeches And Drug Resistance - Medicinal leeches contain bacteria in their guts that can be transferred to humans. In some cases, it only takes a small exposure to antibiotics for those bacteria to become drug resistant. Soccer Headers Affect Women More - A head-to-head comparison finds that heading a soccer ball may damage white matter in women’s brains more than men’s. A New Ebola Species Identified - A new species of Ebola virus was found in two bat species in Sierra Leone, the Angolan free-tailed bat and the little free-tailed bat and experts fear it could spread to humans. CRISPR Conversation - The researcher behind the world’s largest effort to edit human embryos with CRISPR is vowing to continue his efforts to develop what he calls “IVF gene therapy". Generation of Human Spinal Cord Neural Stem Cells - Scientists report the derivation of spinal cord neural stem cells from human pluripotent stem cells. Japan Launches First Clinical Trial Using Stem Cells for Parkinson’s  - A much-anticipated induced pluripotent stem cell trial for Parkinson’s Disease reportedly will soon launch led by Professor Jun Takahashi. Stem Cell Formation in Plants - A Purdue University study has uncovered mechanisms that led to stem cell formation and maintenance in plants. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Charles Murry Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. David Knapp is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford. Colin Hammond is a graduate student in Dr. Connie Eaves' lab at the BC Cancer Agency. Dr. David Knapp and Colin Hammond talk about their recent publication in Nature Cell Biology regarding stem cell populations in cord blood cells. Featured Resource: Webinar: Re-Creating Disease with Kidney Organoids and CRISPR Resources and Links Anti-CRISP Protein Production - Phages produce Anti-CRISPR proteins (Acr-proteins) that battle the bacterial defense system. Evidence of Oldest Life On Land - Scientists found evidence of terrestrial microbial life that they estimate is about 3.22 billion years old. Hybrid Embryos of Endangered White Rhinos - Scientists are using artificial reproductive technology to inject a northern white rhino sperm cell into a southern white rhino egg, creating one of the first rhino embryos in a lab. The Most Complete Look at a Fruit Fly’s Brain Cells - Using high-speed electron microscopy, scientists took 21 million nanoscale-resolution images of the brain of Drosophila melanogaster to capture every one of the 100,000 nerve cells that it contains. Mutational Burden' of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells – Researchers have scrutinized the whole genome sequences of 18 induced pluripotent stem cell lines derived from skin cells that they had reprogrammed to identify and characterize somatic mutations. Creating Artificial Embryos - An international team of scientists have revealed that they used cells from mice to develop an embryo-like structure without the act of fertilization. Bioreactor-Based Method to Generate Kidney Organoids  - New treatments for kidney diseases and inherited kidney disorders could result from new research that is revolutionizing the way human kidney tissue is grown from stem cells. Functional Dissection of The Enhancer Repertoire - Scientists combined chromatin immunoprecipitation with a massively parallel reporter assay (ChIP-STARR-seq) to identify functional enhancers in human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. David Knapp  Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Samantha is an enthusiastic Science Communicator completing her PhD at the University of Toronto. Her doctoral research focuses on brain development and stem cell biology, under the supervision of renowned scientist Dr. Derek van der Kooy. We talk with Sam about her research and also about how she embraces science communication, using it to tell her science story! Featured Resource: STEMdiff™ Cerebral Organoid Kit Resources and Links Most Americans Believe Funding Science Pays Off - A new survey shows that government funding of basic science enjoys widespread support among U.S. adults, but most people have no idea how much or how little government money goes to scientific research. Gene Edited Monkeys Offer Hope for Heart Disease Patients - Researchers have used gene-editing tools in adult monkeys to lower animals’ blood cholesterol levels, suggesting a treatment for heart disease. Gene Drive Passes First Test in Mammals - A controversial technology capable of altering the genomes of entire species has been applied to mammals for the first time. Nerve Cells That Help Control Hunger Identified - Scientists found that somatostatin neurons in the tuberal nucleus, which is known to exhibit pathological or cytological changes in human neurodegenerative diseases, plays a crucial role in regulating feeding in mice. Stem Cells Repair Muscle After Heart Attack in Monkeys - According to a new study, injecting stem-cell-derived cardiac cells after a heart attack may help repair damaged tissue. New iPSC Reprogramming Method - Scientists succeeded in converting human skin cells into pluripotent stem cells by activating the cell’s own genes. Muscle Stem Cells Derived from Teratomas - Researchers have developed a process to regenerate skeletal muscle cells in mice with muscular dystrophy. Human iPSC-Derived Natural Killer Cells - In a new study, researchers report that similarly modified natural killer (NK) cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) also displayed heightened activity against a mouse model of ovarian cancer. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Samantha Yammine Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Intro: In early 2018, STEMCELL Technologies put out a call for scientists to visit their Vancouver facilities and peer review them against their company motto of “Scientists Helping Scientists”. Out of over 300 applicants, three postdoctoral fellows were selected to form the peer review team; they visited STEMCELL in April 2018 and conducted their review over three days. In this special episode of the Stem Cell Podcast, conducted at the end of the peer review initiative, Daylon and Kiki sat down with the peer reviewers to discuss their research interests, current issues and concerns in life science research and education, and their motivations for wanting to be involved in the peer review. Our hosts also asked the reviewers to deliver their final verdict on whether STEMCELL is truly a company of Scientists Helping Scientists and provide recommendations on how STEMCELL can improve in the future. Listen to find out the results! About the Peer Reviewers Dr. Amy Stone, PhD; Senior Fellow, University of Washington, United States Dr. Stone is investigating how humans defend against RNA viruses. Specifically, she is trying to understand how macrophages sense RNA virus infections, what changes in polarization and function occur in those macrophages, and the downstream effects on the adaptive immune system. Dr. Stone wanted to be part of this peer-review to contribute towards resolving the reproducibility crisis currently plaguing bioscience and to answer the question of “Can I rely on STEMCELL’s products to generate reproducible, accurate, trustworthy data?” Dr. Craig Ayre, PhD; Postdoctoral Fellow, Atlantic Cancer Research Institute, Canada Dr. Ayre is studying the basic biology of extracellular vesicles and investigating their diagnostic and therapeutic potential in different cancers. Dr. Ayre was interested in joining the peer review as a way to bridge the gap between the perceptions surrounding academic- vs. industry-led science, stating that industrial science needs to be given the same gravitas and platform to demonstrate its rigor and benefit to research as any other research program. Dr. Fiona Frame, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of York, United Kingdom Dr. Frame is working on primary prostate epithelial cells derived from patient prostate cancer tissue. She uses these cells as a clinically relevant model to test current and novel treatments and therapy resistance. Dr. Frame wanted to be involved in the peer review to find out what goes on inside a company and what the company is doing to provide what scientists need. She expressed a desire to learn about the support that STEMCELL is able to provide to the scientific community and to be involved in an exchange of knowledge to help benefit research progress and the scientific community. To Learn More About the Peer Review: The Peer Review: Watch the short documentary film to follow the peer reviewers’ experience at STEMCELL. Detailed Peer Review Report: Take a closer look at how the peer review was performed. See what the reviewers had to say about our role in addressing scientific issues such as reproducibility, accessibility and quality. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Joseph Ciacci, MD, is a board-certified neurosurgeon with extensive experience in neuro-oncology of the spine and brain. Dr. Ciacci’s primary interests include tumors of the spine and brain, complex spinal reconstruction, and stereotactic radiosurgery, a form of radiation therapy that focuses high-power energy on a small area of the body. In this episode we talk to him about the results of his Phase I clinical trial transplanting stem cells into spinal cord injury patients. Featured Resource: Neural Stem Cells Wallchart Resources and Links Link between Alzheimer’s and Herpes Virus - Researchers suggest that two types of human herpes virus may play a role in Alzheimer's disease. Stopping Pandemics Like Zika Virus - A group of scientists launched a remarkable new project which aims to spot the next pandemic virus. The international initiative is known as the Global Virome Project (GVP) and it aims to pinpoint the causes of fatal new diseases before they start to make people ill. Drinking Coffee Protects Your Heart - Studies have shown that people who drink four cups of coffee a day have a lower risk of dying of a heart attack. A new study in mice may show one reason for that; caffeine in coffee gives cells energy to fight off damage. Dog’s Carry a Variety of Flu Viruses - Some dogs in southern China carry flu viruses originally transmitted from pigs. The viruses probably spread most easily where animals are crowded, such as shelters, farms and markets. New Characteristics of the Cancer Stem Cell Phenotype - Using systems-level approaches, scientists developed a replication stress response defect gene signature that predicted risk of cancer development from hyperplastic lesions. ICAM-1 Role in Blood Stem Cells - Recent advances in imaging and genetic manipulation of mouse models have allowed the identification of distinct vascular niches that have been shown to orchestrate the balance between quiescence, proliferation and regeneration of the bone marrow. Watch Spinal Cord Repair in Real Time - Monash University researchers restored movement and regenerated nerves using stem cells in zebra fish where the spinal cord is severely damaged. Scientists Solve the Case of The Missing Subplate - Scientists outlines a connection between subplate neurons and certain brain disorders, and further identifies a strategy for treating such disorders via innovative stem cell techniques. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Joseph Ciacci, MD Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Benjamin Freedman is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Division of Nephrology. Dr. Freedman is currently performing biomedical research using human pluripotent stem cells to model kidney disease pathophysiology and develop new therapies. In this episode we talk about his work studying kidney disease and his latest paper in Cell Stem Cell using robots to create kidney organoids. Featured Resource: Wallchart: Growing Organoids from Stem Cells Resources and Links CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing Induces a p53-Mediated DNA Damage Response - Scientists report that genome editing by CRISPR-Cas9 induces a p53-mediated DNA damage response and cell cycle arrest in immortalized human retinal pigment epithelial cells, leading to a selection against cells with a functional p53 pathway. New Studies on Ocean Bacteria - A large-scale study of the Earth's surface ocean indicates the microbes responsible for fixing nitrogen there -- previously thought to be almost exclusively photosynthetic cyanobacteria -- include an abundant and widely distributed suite of non-photosynthetic bacterial populations. New Centriole Identified in Human Sperm - Researchers identified a new structure in human sperm that functions in the zygote and may provide new avenues for addressing male infertility and insights into early embryo developmental defects. Life on Mars - After more than four decades of searching for organic molecules on the surface of Mars, scientists have conclusively found them in mudstones on the lower slopes of Mount Sharp. New Treatment for Metastatic Breast Cancer - Researchers developed a high-throughput method to identify mutations present in a cancer that are recognized by the immune system. Tackling CRS and Neurotoxicity Associated with CAR T Cell Therapy - Recently developed animal models allow mechanistic dissection and prevention of toxicity without loss of therapeutic benefit. Single-Cell Analysis Identifies a CD33+ Subset of Human Cord Blood Cells with High Regenerative Potential - From a multi-parameter analysis of the molecular features of very primitive human cord blood cells that display long-term cell outputs in vitro and in immunodeficient mice, scientists identified a prospectively separable CD33+CD34+CD38-CD45RA-CD90+CD49f+ phenotype with serially transplantable, but diverse, cell output profiles. CRISPR in Two Cell Embryos - Combining 2C-HR-CRISPR with a modified biotin-streptavidin approach to localize repair templates to target sites, a more-than-tenfold increase (up to 95%) was achieved in knock-in efficiency over standard methods. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Benjamin Freedman   Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

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

Guest: Peter Lengyel is the co-founder and “Beer Commander” of Kings County Beer Collective in Brooklyn, NY. Pete managed big name laboratories at Rockefeller University, UCSF and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals but after spending a huge amount of his time brewing beer first as a hobbyist, he made the leap to brewing full time. Pete started his first professional brewing enterprise in Bushwick Brooklyn a couple years back as a collaboration with two other brewers, which they called the King County Brewer’s Collective, and they have taken the craft brew scene by storm with high praise in local and national critical circles. Resources and Links Artificial Intelligence Using Wiring Similar to Human Brain - An AI that mentally maps its environment, much like mammals do, could help solve a mystery about the navigational nerve cells in our brains. Telomerase at High Resolution – The authors present the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the substrate-bound human telomerase holoenzyme at subnanometre resolution, showing two flexibly RNA-tethered lobes: the catalytic core with telomerase reverse transcriptase and conserved motifs of telomerase RNA, and an H/ACA ribonucleoprotein. First Small Pox Treatment Close to FDA Approval - Fears that the disease could be used as a biological weapon have risen in light of anthrax attacks and other terrorist acts of this century. Turtles That Change Sex in Warm Temperature - Scientists have identified a gene in the red-eared slider turtle, that makes embryonic turtles turn male or female depending on nest temperature. Stem Cells and Organoids to Understand Neanderthal Brains -A team of geneticists from the Max Planck Institute in Germany genetically altered human stem cells by combining them with Neanderthal DNA. The team hoped to grow miniature brains from these engineered human stem cells. Fasting Boosts Stem Cells’ Regenerative Capacity - Intestinal stem cells from mice that fasted for 24 hours, produced much more substantial intestinal organoids than stem cells from mice that did not fast. Blastocyst-Like Structure Generated from Stem Cells - Trophoblast and embryonic stem cells cooperate in vitro to form structures that morphologically and transcriptionally resemble embryonic day 3.5 blastocysts, termed blastoids. Reprogrammed Stem Cell-Derived Neurons Survive Long-Term in Pigs with Spinal Cord Injuries  - Scientists demonstrated that syngeneic porcine induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural precursor cell transplantation to the spinal cord in the absence of immunosuppression is associated with long-term survival and neuronal and glial differentiation. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Peter Lengyel Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Valeria Orlova is the Principal Investigator at the Leiden University Medical Center. Dr. Orlova’s lab uses stem cells to study the blood vessels and vasculature. She joins us to talk about her work and latest findings. 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 Plastic That Can Be Recycled Again and Again - The development of chemically recyclable polymers offers a solution to the end-of-use issue of polymeric materials and provides a closed-loop approach toward a circular materials economy. Genetically Modified Plant as Malaria Drug - Derived from sweet wormwood plants, the antimalarial compound artemisinin usually composes 0.1 to 1 percent of the dry weight of the leaves. New research more than triples a plant’s yield of artemisinin, to 3.2 percent. Hospital Surfaces that Kill Superbugs - A newly developed coating uses overhead light to trigger bacteria-killing molecules and could be used in hospitals to help stop the spread of some infections. A Bird’s Internal Compass - During the long range migrations of European robins, production of the protein Cry4 increases and that may facilitate the birds’ sense of Earth’s magnetic field. Inducible GDNF Expression in Transplanted Neural Cells - Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has provided benefits to Parkinsonian patients and is being used in a clinical trial for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Reciprocal Signaling between Glioblastoma Stem Cells and Differentiated Tumor Cells Promotes Malignant Progression – A recent study found that differentiated glioblastoma cells (DGCs) accelerated GSC tumor growth. DGCs preferentially expressed brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), whereas GSCs expressed the BDNF receptor NTRK2. Super-Obese Patient-Derived iPSC Hypothalamic Neurons Exhibit Obesogenic Signatures and Hormone Responses - Researchers developed a method to reliably differentiate human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into hypothalamic-like neurons (iHTNs) capable of secreting orexigenic and anorexigenic neuropeptides. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that, although iHTNs maintain a fetal identity, they respond appropriately to metabolic hormones ghrelin and leptin. Defining Essential Genes for Human Pluripotent Stem Cells by CRISPR-Cas9 Screening in Haploid Cells - Scientists constructed an atlas of essential and growth-restricting genes in human pluripotent stem cells, revealing key aspects of cellular essentiality and providing a reference for future studies on human pluripotency. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Valeria Orlova Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Evangelos Kiskinis, PhD is an Assistant Professor in Neurology at Northwestern University.  His lab focuses on addressing fundamental aspects of the biology of human neurons in the context of physiological conditions and in the context of diseases such as ALS. Featured Resource: Madeline Lancaster on Brain Organoids: Modeling Human Brain Development in a Dish Webinar Resources and Links How Norovirus Invades - While investigating the cell tropism for murine norovirus, scientists discovered that a rare cell type, tuft cells, carrying the CD300lf receptor were the virus’s specific target. Viruses that Clean Up Bacteria- Viruses can be engineered to carry magnetic nanoparticles and modified DNA, transforming them into nanobots that detect bacteria in water or food. Cancers Should Be Treated by Type Not Location - Cancer should not be treated based on where it is first found in the body, but depending on the type of tumor, scientists have said. California Ordered to Add Cancer Warning to Coffee, but the Science Doesn't Hold Up - Storm clouds are brewing in California’s coffee cups. Companies across the state will have to add a cancer-warning label to coffee, a judge ruled, because the drink contains a chemical called acrylamide. Thrombopoietin is Required for Bone Marrow Stem Cell Maintenance- Investigators found that hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) were markedly reduced in hepatocyte-specific thrombopoietin-deficient mice. These results indicate that systemic factors, in addition to the local niche, are a critical extrinsic component for HSC maintenance. Researchers Optimize Lung Stem Cell Engineering Process- The Center for Regenerative Medicine’s pioneering research using induced pluripotent stem cells, which self-renew indefinitely as undifferentiated cells that become specific adult cell types, has helped create an inexhaustible source of disease- or patient-specific stem cells. An In Vivo Model of Functional and Vascularized Human Brain Organoids- Scientists developed more sophisticated organoid models to help provide new insights into a range of neurological and psychological disorders. iPSCs from a Hibernator Provide a Platform for Studying Cold Adaptation - The authors showed that ground squirrel iPSCs offer a unique platform for bringing cold-adaptive strategies from hibernators to humans in clinical applications. Photo Reference: Courtesy of  Evangelos Kiskinis Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe