Guest: Dr. Deepak Lamba is an Assistant Professor at the Buck Institute. His research is focused on identifying new methods to treat degenerative vision disorders, including macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa, using stem cell technology. His work is considered pioneering amongst those focused on developing efficient methods of making retinal cells in a laboratory dish. Featured Resource: Neural Stem Cells Wallchart Resources and Links Rumours Swirl about Trump’s Science Adviser Pick – Climate sceptic William Happer and ardent critic of academia David Gelernter have met with the president. For Three Years in a Row, Earth Breaks Heat Record – For the third year running, Earth’s thermostat broke a new record: 2016 was the warmest year since record-keeping began in 1880. Heart-Hugging Robot Does the Twist (And Squeeze) – A silicone sleeve slipped over pigs’ hearts helped pump blood when the hearts failed. Promise and Perils of Marijuana Deserve More Scientific Scrutiny – The report, released January 12 by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in Washington, D.C., calls for expanding research on potential medical applications of cannabis and its products, including marijuana and chemical components called cannabinoids. Here's How Earwax Might Clean Ears – The self-cleaning marvel known as earwax may turn the dust particles it traps into agents of their own disposal. Scientists Say It's Time We Discussed Creating Humans from Stem Cells – A Kyoto University scientist, Shinya Yamanaka, and his graduate student, Kazutoshi Takahashi, re-energized the stem cell field by devising a technique to “reprogram” any adult cell, such as a skin cell, and coax it back to its earliest “pluripotent” stage where it can become any type of cell, from a heart muscle cell to a neuron. Irish Researchers Make Stem-Cell Cancer Breakthrough – Irish-led researchers have found a way to make it potentially easier to kill off tumor cells and make radiotherapy more effective for people with oesophageal cancer. Stem Cells Induce Teeth to Self-Repair – A new dental treatment could eliminate the need for man-made cavity fillings by promoting the renewal of stem cells within tooth pulp, triggering damaged teeth to repair themselves. 'Totipotent' Stem Cells Capable of Forming Viable Embryo Created from Pluripotent Cells – Stem cells with characteristics of totipotency — capable of creating all the tissue types needed to build and sustain an embryo — have been created in mice by a California-led research team. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Deepak Lambda Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Hongjun Song is a Director of the Stem Cell Program at John Hopkins University. The research in the Song laboratory focuses on understanding mechanisms regulating neural stem cells and neurogenesis in the mammalian brain. He recently published a review regarding Zika virus, what’s known, how stem cells can help and we talk with him about this topic and more. Featured Resource: Neural Stem Cells Wallchart Resources and Links Cancer Death Rates Fall as Prevention, Treatment Advance – Deaths from cancer in the United States have dropped 25 percent since hitting a peak in 1991 attributed to reductions in smoking and advances in early detection and treatment. Ebola Vaccine Proves Effective, Final Trial Results Show – This article reports that of 5,837 people in Guinea who received a single shot of the vaccine, rVSV-ZEBOV, in the shoulder, none became infected with the Ebola virus 10 to 84 days after vaccination. Among High School Seniors, Interest in Science Varies by Race, Ethnicity – A majority of high school seniors in the U.S. say they enjoy science and around four-in-ten (44%) would like to have a job in the field although this tend to vary by race and ethnicity – a pattern that also is reflected in American students’ test scores in science. Figuring Out How Women Respond to Hormones – Researchers suppressed then added back the hormones estrogen and progesterone in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder and found that their symptoms disappear only to re-emerge when the hormones were added back. NYSCF and PGP Announce Availability of Unique New Stem Cell Resource for Scientific Research – The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute and the Personal Genomes Project announced the availability of a unique new stem cell resource – the stem cell lines – for scientists around the world. Conversion of Terminally Committed Hepatocytes to Culturable Bipotent Progenitor Cells with Regenerative Capacity – Researchers report that a cocktail of small molecules, Y-27632, A-83-01, and CHIR99021, can convert rat and mouse mature hepatocytes in vitro into proliferative bipotent cells, which they called chemically induced liver progenitors. Synthetic Stem Cells to Regenerate Heart Tissue – American and Chinese researchers have developed synthetic cardiac stem cells that could have the same therapeutic impact as human stem cells, with the added benefit of reducing the risk of graft rejection in cellular therapy. Using Stem Cells to Grow Stomachs? – A study featured in the journal Nature reveals that researchers from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center were able to grow human tissues in a laboratory using stem cell samples taken from the corpus/fundus region of the stomach. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Hongjun Song Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: For the interview portion of the show, we talk to our very own Dr. Daylon James. In addition to hosting the Stem Cell Podcast, Daylon is an Assistant Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City where he uses stem cells as a tool to investigate cardiovascular and reproductive disorders. Resources and Links World Health Organisation Declares a Public Emergency of International Concern Over Zika – World Health Organization declared the Zika virus and its suspected link to birth defects an international public health emergency, a rare move that signals the seriousness of the outbreak and gives countries new tools to fight it. 2016 Was 10 Year Anniversary of Yamanaka iPSC Paper – This article discusses the 10 years of iPSC where Cell published the original iPS cell papers, in which Dr. Kazutoshi Takahashi, Dr. Shinya Yamanaka and colleagues showed that mouse and human fibroblasts can be reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells by introducing into them four genes. World's First Baby with Three Genetic Parents Was Born – A five-month-old boy is the first baby to be born using a new technique that incorporates DNA from three people. Stem Cells Can Make Oocytes – This paper reveals that scientists have for the first time reprogrammed murine embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells into fully functional oocytes in the laboratory. CO2 Turns into Solid Stone When Pumped into the Ground – Researchers working in Iceland say they have discovered a new way to trap the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) deep underground: by changing it into rock. In Vivo Genome Editing Improves Muscle Function in A Mouse Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy – Exon 23 deletion by CRISPR/Cas9 resulted in expression of the modified dystrophin gene, partial recovery of functional dystrophin protein in skeletal myofibers and cardiac muscle, improvement of muscle biochemistry, and significant enhancement of muscle force. Arctic and Antarctic Sea Ice Volumes Both Fall to an All-Time Low – Both the Arctic and Antarctic experienced record lows in sea ice extent in November, with scientists astonished to see Arctic ice actually retreating at a time when the region enters the cold darkness of winter. Humans Are Now Getting CRISPR’d – This article reveals that a Chinese group has become the first to inject a person with cells that contain genes edited using the revolutionary CRISPR–Cas9 technique. Proxima B – A newly discovered, roughly Earth-sized planet orbiting our nearest neighboring star might be habitable, according to a team of astronomers using the European Southern Observatory's 3.6-meter telescope at La Silla, Chile, along with other telescopes around the world. Major Stem Cell Discovery for Diabetes Retracted – One of the highest-profile researchers in diabetes has retracted a paper once heralded as a breakthrough, following multiple failed attempts to reproduce its headline-grabbing results. Gravitational Waves – The first gravitational wave signal detected by Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory came from the merger of two black holes spiraling inward, as depicted in this numerical simulation. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Daylon James Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Eggan is a Professor in the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University. On this show he joins us, along with a post-doctoral fellow from his lab, Dr. Michael Wells, to discuss their latest publication on investigating mechanisms of infection in Zika virus. Resources and Links Microcephaly Cases Surge in Colombia following Rise in Zika Infections – Colombia saw a surge on 2016 in babies with microcephaly — more than four times the number reported in the previous year caused by Zika virus infections. Having an Extra Chromosome Slows Cancer Cell Growth – This article reveals that smaller tumors, less cancer-driving proteins are seen with cells with an extra copy of a chromosome — known as trisomic cells. Gut Microbes Mix May Regulate Motor Deficits in Parkinson’s – Gut impulse signals from gut microbes can activate immune cells called microglia in the mouse brain, causing inflammation that’s characteristic of Parkinson’s disease. Solar Panels Are Almost Truly Green – This article reports that solar panels are about to break even on their energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions. Telomere Balance between Elongation and Trimming in Stem Cells – Researchers report that telomere length is determined by the balance between telomere elongation, which is mediated by telomerase, and telomere trimming, which is controlled by XRCC3 and Nbs1, homologous recombination proteins that generate single-stranded C-rich telomeric DNA and double-stranded telomeric circular DNA, respectively. Long-Term Self-Renewing Human Epicardial Cells Generated from Pluripotent Stem Cells under Defined Xeno-Free Conditions – Scientists show that the temporal modulation of canonical Wnt signaling is sufficient for epicardial induction from six different human pluripotent stem cell lines, including a WT1-2A-eGFP knock-in reporter line, under chemically defined, xeno-free conditions. Development of a Rapid Screen for the Endodermal Differentiation Potential of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines – Researchers developed a rapid small molecule based screen to assess the endodermal potential of human pluripotent stem cells, based solely on definitive endoderm morphology. Genetic Ablation of AXL Does Not Protect Human Neural Progenitor Cells and Cerebral Organoids from Zika Virus Infection – Dr. Kevin Eggan and his team of researchers show that genetic ablation of AXL has no effect on Zika virus (ZIKV) entry or ZIKV-mediated cell death in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitor cells or cerebral organoids. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Kevin Eggan Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Jen Adair, assistant member of the clinical research division at the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, and Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Adair's group investigates retrovirus-based gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells as a viable treatment for genetic, malignant and infectious diseases. Resources and Links Dogs Form Memories of Experiences – This article suggests that dogs possess some version of episodic memory, which allows them to recall personal experiences, and not just simple associations between, for instance, sitting and getting a treat. Lower Social Status Can Alter the Immune System – A new study manipulating the pecking order of monkeys finds that low social status kicks the immune system into high gear, leading to unwanted inflammation akin to that in people with chronic diseases. A New Fetal Genome Test – This article reports that by doing a Pap smear as early as five weeks into a pregnancy, researchers can collect enough fetal cells to test for abnormalities linked to more than 6,000 genetic disorders. Old Blood Carries Risks for Brain – This article reveals that after transfusions of young blood, old mice still had lower numbers of newborn nerve cells in the hippocampus, a brain structure important for learning and memory. Synthetic Recording and In Situ Readout of Lineage Information in Single Cells – Researchers developed a new method for reading the history and "family trees" of cells called MEMOIR (Memory by Engineered Mutagenesis with Optical In Situ Readout), which can record the life history of animal cells, their relationships with other cells, communication patterns, and the influential events that have shaped them. Take a Journey into the Center of a Stem Cell – Scientists journeyed to the center of a stem cell that’s maturing into a nerve cell using a powerful X-ray microscope to snap pictures of stem cells at different stages of differentiation. Neural Progenitors Found in Outer Brain Covering – A cross-domain study directed by Professor Peter Carmeliet reveals that there are neural progenitors found in meninges, the protective membranes that enclose the brain. Inhibition of mTOR Induces a Paused Pluripotent State – This article reports that the partial inhibition of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), a major nutrient sensor and promoter of growth, induces reversible pausing of mouse blastocyst development and allows their prolonged culture ex vivo. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Jen Adair Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Alpa Mahuvakar Trivedi, a molecular biologist in the Department of Neurosurgery at University California, San Francisco, joins us in this episode. Alpa and her team have recently published a paper on generating neural cells from stem cells to help pain and bladder function after spinal cord injury. Resources and Links What Does Trump Win Mean for US Science? – This article reports that many scientists have been laying out their concerns about the future of the US research community under a Trump administration. Poor Diet in Pregnancy, Poor Heart Health for Infants – Mothers who don’t eat enough during pregnancy could give birth to babies with long-lasting heart problems. Using a Video Game to Speed Up Alzheimer's Research – This article describes the new game Stall Catchers, where citizen scientists help Alzheimer’s researchers find stalls in brain blood vessels in mice. Antibody Therapy for Zika Virus? – Scientists found that a single dose of a human antibody called ZIKV-117 can protect mice from death after Zika infection — and shield mouse fetuses from the virus’s damaging effects. Trump and Embryonic Stem Cells – Biomedical researchers are wondering what the Trump administration’s position is on embryonic stem cells research though he has vowed to “cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama.” Single-Cell Sequencing of the Small-RNA Transcriptome – Researchers present a single-cell method for small-RNA sequencing and apply it to naive and primed human embryonic stem cells and cancer cells. Conversion of Terminally Committed Hepatocytes to Culturable Bipotent Progenitor Cells with Regenerative Capacity – Scientists report that a cocktail of small molecules, Y-27632, A-83-01, and CHIR99021, can convert rat and mouse mature hepatocytes in vitro into proliferative bipotent cells, which we term chemically induced liver progenitors. Widespread Chromatin Accessibility at Repetitive Elements Links Stem Cells with Human Cancer – Stem cell differentiation induces chromatin remodeling at repetitive elements offering a permissive environment for Ewing sarcoma (a mesenchymally derived tumor) development. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Alpa Mahuvakar Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: We bring on Mark Post, professor of vascular physiology at the Maastricht University. Dr. Post is an innovator, being the creator of the world’s first lab grown hamburger. Mark’s work has been highlighted in mainstream media and he has given a TEDx talk about his technology and the meat industry. Recently, Mark was back in the news with an announcement that the cost of these stem cell burgers has significantly come down. Resources and Links Science Textbooks May Need an Update – Textbook drawings might need to be updated based on new images of the endoplasmic reticulum, a multifaceted organelle within the cell, which shows that it’s a tangled web of interconnected tubes, instead of containing flat sheets as previously believed. Finding HIV Patient Zero in America – DNA analysis shows HIV came to New York City between 1969 and 1973, long before the man known as Patient Zero became infected. Training for Parents May Lessen Some Autism Symptoms in Kids – This article presents the idea called Preschool Autism Communication Trial for preschool autism communication trial, which shows that children with autism can be reached by training their parents to be better conversationalists. Ancient Monkey Hookups – New DNA evidence is pointing to ancient affairs between bonobos and chimpanzees. The Stem Cell Burger Is Back, and This Time It Might Even Be Affordable – This article reports that stem cell burgers, if mass-produced today, would cost $10 according to Mark Post, its creator, in an Arkansas Online interview. Research on Rare Genetic Disease Reveals New iPSC Discovery – Shinya Yamanaka, MD, PhD, who first created induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and his colleagues at the Gladstone Institutes found a way to increase the efficiency of stem cell reprogramming through research on a rare genetic disease. Withholding Amino Acid Depletes Blood Stem Cells – A new study shows that a diet deficient in valine effectively depleted the blood stem cells in mice and made it possible to perform a blood stem cell transplantation with them. Reactive Oxygen Species and Blood Stem Cells – A research group at Lund University in Sweden identified that certain cells during embryonic development are negatively affected by oxidation capable of leading to a block in cellular function. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Mark Post Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Michael Halpern, deputy director for the Center of Science and Democracy, discusses the election and how science might be affected. Resources and Links Storing Tomatoes in Refrigerator Affect Their Genes – Science explains why you shouldn't put tomatoes in the fridge. It’s because some of their genes chill out and are altered by cold temperatures, ultimately affecting the flavor. A Clear Difference on Climate Change – This article describes the stark contrast between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on the climate change issue and their plans about it. Drones that Carry Ads – Starting this year, commuters in Mexico City have been interrupted as they drive by flying robots carrying signs bearing simple slogans as part of ridesharing app Uber’s campaign for UberPool. Common Household Chemicals Hurt Our Health... And Cost Us Billions – Routine contact with plastic bottles, toys, food cans, cosmetics and flame retardants containing "endocrine-disrupting chemicals" results in ingestion, leading to a toxic buildup and potentially a variety of medical conditions. Scientists Grow Mouse Eggs from Stem Cells in Lab – Japanese scientists have grown mouse eggs entirely in the lab, then fertilized them to yield fertile offspring, a scientific first cautiously hailed by experts in human reproduction. Stem Cells May Repair Broken Hearts – Researchers transplanted heart muscle cells that were made from the stem cells of a macaque into the damaged hearts of five other macaques integrating with the monkeys' own heart muscle cells thus allowing their damaged hearts to function better. CRISPR Corrects Sickle Cell-Causing Gene in Human Cells – Scientists used the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technique to rewrite the genetic mutation in blood cells that causes sickle cell disease where once implanted in mice, the edited stem cells produced normal hemoglobin. Glycolytic Metabolism Plays a Functional Role in Regulating Human Pluripotent Stem Cell State – Researchers show that naive human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) exhibit increased glycolytic flux, MYC transcriptional activity, and nuclear N-MYC localization relative to primed hESCs. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Michael Halpern Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Stephen Duncan from the University of South Carolina discusses his work on the purification of cell lineages derived from pluripotent stem cells. Resources and Links Japanese Scientist Receives Nobel Prize for Autophagy Work – Yoshinori Ohsumi, a biologist at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, won this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work uncovering how cells break down old materials — a process critical for keeping cells healthy. Measles Eliminated from the Americas – The highly infectious disease - measles, which is marked by flat red spots that can cover the body - has been eliminated from the Americas after decades of wide-spread vaccination. Uncovering Facts about the Shady Sugar Industry – Researchers revealed that the sugar industry paid nutrition experts from Harvard University to downplay studies linking sugar and heart disease. Gene Linked to Autism in People May Influence Dog Sociability – This article reveals that beagles with particular variants in a gene - SEZ6L - associated with autism were more likely to sidle up to and make physical contact with a human stranger. Monsanto Buys Rights to CRISPR – Monsanto is taking genetically engineered crops to the next level, buying a license from the Broad Institute of Harvard University and MIT to use the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology. Dr. Allen Eaves of STEMCELL Technologies Inc. Named EY Entrepreneur of the Year™ Pacific 2016 – Dr. Allen Eaves, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of STEMCELL Technologies, a global biotechnology company that supplies tools and services to enable life science research, is this year’s Entrepreneur of the Year Pacific winner. Efficient Long-Term Cryopreservation of Pluripotent Stem Cells at −80 °C – Researchers report that a medium comprised of Ficoll 70 and dimethyl sulfoxide in presence or absence of fetal bovine serum can provide reliable cryopreservation of various kinds of human and porcine pluripotent stem cells at −80 °C for periods that extend up to at least one year, with the post-thaw viability, plating efficiency, and full retention of pluripotent phenotype comparable to that achieved with liquid nitrogen storage. Biologists Plan Scoring System for Antibodies - Biomedical experts plan to create a scoring system that will help researchers choose reliable antibodies for their experiments. ULK4 Gene Mutation Linked to Schizophrenia – Researchers identified, through genetic and in vitro functional studies, a novel serine/threonine kinase gene, unc-51-like kinase 4 (ULK4), as a rare risk factor for major mental disorders, including schizophrenia. Vitamin D Increases the Number of Blood Stem Cells during Embryonic Development – Scientists hypothesize that the levels of vitamin D during fetal development may play a role in preventing the onset of blood-related disorders later in life. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Stephen Duncan Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Joshua Brickman from the University of Copenhagen discusses his work on stem cells and culture conditions. Professor Brickman’s and his group investigate the basis for transcriptional priming and commitment in embryonic stem cells and early in the specification of the endoderm lineage. Resources and Links Scientists Watch as Bacteria Evolve Antibiotic Resistance – A petri dish more than a meter long helped scientists visualize the evolution of antibiotic resistance in E. coli bacteria. Lyme Bacteria Swap ‘Catch Bonds’ to Navigate Blood Vessels – The corkscrew-shaped bacteria that cause Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) attach themselves to the sides of blood vessels using special bonds that get stronger under stress. Maybe You Don’t Need to Burp Your Baby – This article reports that there’s scant scientific evidence that burping after meals actually does anything helpful for babies. Pigeons Can Read a Little Bit – Pigeons moved from learning to eat from a food hopper, to recognizing shapes, to learning words through gradual training. Lack of T Cell Response to iPSC-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells from HLA Homozygous Donors – Researchers established human retinal pigment epithelial cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in HLA homozygote donors. Scientists Use Stem Cells to Grow 3D Lung-in-a-Dish – Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles have succeeded in creating three-dimensional lung “organoids” by coating tiny gel beads with lung-derived stem cells and then allowing them to self-assemble into the shapes of the air sacs found in human lungs. Motherless Babies Possible as Scientists Create Live Offspring without Need for Female Egg – This article shows that embryos could be created from cells which carry all their chromosomes leading to the theory that any cell in the human body could be fertilized by a sperm. Parkin and PINK1 Patient iPSC-Derived Midbrain Dopamine Neurons Exhibit Mitochondrial Dysfunction and α-Synuclein Accumulation – Researchers demonstrate that the identification of disease-related phenotypes in Parkinson’s disease–patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived midbrain dopamine neurons depends on the type of differentiation protocol utilized. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Joshua Brickman Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe