Guest: Dr. Shuibing Chen from Weill Cornell Medical College discusses her work on stem cells and diabetes. Resources and Links A Ban on Antibacterial Soap – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned soap products containing 19 active ingredients, including the notorious chemical triclosan, marketed as antiseptics. A New Book all about Cursing? – A cognitive scientist Benjamin Bergen’s new book – What the F – examines the nature of profanity and the implications of obscene words for understanding human brains and minds. Mosquito Moms Can Pass Zika to Offspring – This article reveals that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes don’t need to bite someone to pick up Zika virus; youngsters can inherit the virus from their moms according to lab tests. Zika Mosquitos Now in Miami Beach – This article reports that Florida officials confirmed that the Zika virus was detected in three mosquito samples from a small area in Miami Beach. New Info about Bacteria Causing Stillbirth Revealed – Group B Streptococcus secretes protein-filled balloons that can travel up into the uterus causing premature labor and stillbirth. Will Embryonic Stem Cells Ever Cure Anything? – Douglas Melton tries to find ways to replace beta cells of the pancreas using new tissue manufactured from embryonic stem cells. MMP-9 and MMP-2 Contribute to Neuronal Cell Death in iPSC Models of Frontotemporal Dementia with MAPT Mutations – This article reports that matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 production is elevated in human neurons with microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) mutations contributing to stress-induced neuronal cell death. Researchers Use a Single Molecule to Command Stem Cells to Build New Bone – Researchers from the University of California, San Diego induce human pluripotent stem cells to differentiate into functional bone-building cells by feeding them adenosine, a naturally occurring molecule in the body. Scientists Engineer Stem Cells to Find Potential Therapy for Medulloblastoma – Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have created a system to study an aggressive subtype of medulloblastoma, which is a rare pediatric brain tumor that generally has a very poor prognosis. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Shuibing Chen Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: CEO and Founder of STEMCELL Technologies Inc. Dr. Allen Eaves discusses his transition from a bench scientist to a biotech business man. Resources and Links Tired Parents Don’t Follow Newborn Sleep Guidelines – Babies should be put on their back in an empty crib with firm mattress. Darwin’s Dogs Want Your Dog’s DNA – Darwin’s Dogs, a citizen science project headquartered at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, is looking for good — and bad — dogs to donate DNA. Eating Shuts Off Nerves that Oppose Obesity – This article reports the role of orexin, also known as hypocretin, in weight gain and narcolepsy. Pesticides and Pollination Problems – Butterflies of Northern California join the ranks of honeybees, bumblebees, moths and other organisms that may be feeling the effects of local neonicotinoid pesticide use. Zika Virus Might Affect Learning, Memory in Adults, Study Says – This article reveals that Zika virus can infect neural progenitors in the adult mouse brain. Melatonin Appears to Suppress Growth of Breast Cancer Stem Cells – Researchers at Michigan State University published a study that melatonin, a hormone produced in the human brain, appears to suppress the growth of breast cancer tumors. Transcriptome Profiling of Patient-Specific Human iPSC-Cardiomyocytes Predicts Individual Drug Safety and Efficacy Responses In Vitro – Transcriptome-based toxicology analysis predicted and risk-stratified patient-specific susceptibility to cardiotoxicity, and functional assays in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) patient-specific cardiomyocyte. Using tacrolimus and rosiglitazone, drugs targeting pathways predicted to produce cardiotoxicity, validated inter-patient differential responses. Modeling Dengue Virus-Hepatic Cell Interactions Using Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Hepatocyte-like Cells – Researchers differentiated human pluripotent stem cells into hepatocytes, one of the target cells of Dengue virus (DENV), to investigate various aspects of DENV-hepatocyte interaction. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Allen Eaves Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Ritchie Ho, a postdoctoral fellow from Cedars-Sinai, joins us with his latest study on an induced pluripotent stem cell in vitro model of ALS. Resources and Links Circadian Clock Influences Young Sunflowers to follow the Sun – Research from University of California, Davis shows how sunflowers use their circadian clock to anticipate the dawn and follow the sun across the sky during the day. Humans Prefer the Gait of Mutant Horses – Researchers examine historic horse remains for the DMRT3 SNP, tracking the origin of gaitedness to Medieval England between 850 and 900 AD. Young Blood Antiaging Trial Raises Questions – A startup company, Ambrosia, has launched the first pay-to-participate clinical trial in the United States to test the antiaging benefits of young blood in relatively healthy people. Science Literacy Isn't Just about What People Know, It's Also about Their Communities – Increasing science literacy will not lead to appreciably greater support for science, but may be shaped by factors such as values and beliefs. NIH Proposes Removal of Moratorium on Chimera Research – A proposed National Institutes of Health (NIH) policy would require extra review for certain studies that create chimeras, or animals with both human and animal cells. Gene Correction of iPSCs from a Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Patient Normalizes the Lymphoid Developmental and Functional Defects – Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were derived from a Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome patient (WAS-iPSCs) and the endogenous chromosomal WAS locus was targeted with a wtWAS-2A-eGFP transgene using zinc finger nucleases to generate corrected WAS-iPSCs. Contributions of Mammalian Chimeras to Pluripotent Stem Cell Research – This article highlights the applications and current limitations presented by intra- and inter-species chimeras and their future contribution to the stem cell field. Development of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Secreting Neurons from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells – Researchers report a three-step protocol to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells into gonadotropin-releasing hormone-secreting neurons which regulate puberty and reproduction. Direct Induction and Functional Maturation of Forebrain GABAergic Neurons from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells – Scientists identified a set of genetic factors that could robustly induce human pluripotent stem cells into GABAergic neurons with high efficiency. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Ritchie Ho Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: We bring on professor and researcher Dr. Christine Pratt from the University of Ottawa to discuss her research on breast cancer. Resources and Links 2016 Republican Platform against Embryonic Stem Cell Research and Other Science Issues – Live Science examined the Republican Party’s platform against embryonic stem cell research, climate change, fetal tissue research, and other science issues. US behind in Road Safety – The United States tops 19 other high-income countries on overall death rate due to motor vehicle crashes. Antibiotics May Help Fight Alzheimer’s Disease – This article reveals that a long course of antibiotics reduced the levels of a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease in the brains of mice, possibly by changing the species of bacteria in the gut. Biting Your Nails and Sucking Your Thumb Might Have Some Positive Effects – Kids who sucked their thumbs or chewed their nails had lower rates of allergic reactions in lab tests. New Brain Map Most Detailed Yet – Scientists have drawn a new map of the human brain with each side of the outer layer of the brain parceled into 180 distinct areas. Cerebrospinal Fluid Signals Control the Behavior of Stem Cells in the Brain – The choroid plexus, a largely ignored structure in the brain that produces the cerebrospinal fluid, is an important regulator of adult neural stem cells. Cartilage Grown from Stem Cells Could Replace Hip Implants – Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Cytex Therapeutics have found a way to program stem cells to grow new cartilage on a 3D template of the ball of a hip joint. Molecular Obstacles to Clinical Translation of iPSCs – This article discusses whether the therapeutic obstacles of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) clones are specific to transcription-factor-mediated reprogramming or inherent to every cellular reprogramming method. Conversion of Human Gastric Epithelial Cells to Multipotent Endodermal Progenitors Using Defined Small Molecules – Researchers describe the derivation of human induced endodermal progenitor cells from gastrointestinal epithelial cells using a cocktail of defined small molecules along with support from tissue-specific mesenchymal feeders. A New Bio-Ink for 3D Printing with Stem Cells – Scientists at the University of Bristol have developed a new kind of bio-ink, which could eventually allow the production of complex tissues for surgical implants. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Christine Pratt Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Neurologist and researcher Dr. Mark Freedman discusses his research, including a new discovery and treatment for multiple sclerosis using stem cells. Resources and Links Greased Up Head Helps Swordfish Swim Fast – This article reveals that a newly discovered oil-producing organ in the fish’s head gives it slick skin that could boost its speed. Activating Reward May Increase Immune System – Feeling good may help the body fight germs; when activated, nerve cells that help signal reward also boost the mice’s immune systems. Major Hole in the Ozone Layer Is Closing – This article reports that the average size of the Antarctic ozone hole has shrunk by about 4.5 million square kilometers, an area larger than India, since 2000. Mass Killings Are Contagious, Media Is the Vector – Mass killings and school shootings spread "contagiously," where one killing or shooting increases the chances that others will occur within about two weeks. Young Stem Cell Scientists Struggle for Funding – A study led by government scientists showed that middle-aged and older stem cell researchers are crowding out younger scientists in competition for federal grants. Zika Virus Disrupts Neural Progenitor Development and Leads to Microcephaly in Mice – Researchers found that Asian Zika virus (ZIKV) strain SZ01 replicates efficiently in embryonic mouse brain by directly targeting different neuronal linages and that ZIKV infection leads to cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, and inhibition of neural progenitor cell differentiation, resulting in cortical thinning and microcephaly. A Stem Cell Therapy to Replace Root Canals? – Scientists from the University of Nottingham and Harvard University's Wyss Institute are developing a new treatment strategy that could someday help heal a damaged tooth using the patient's own stem cells. A New Model of Autism Using Stem Cells – Researchers at the Salk Institute turned skin cells of people with autism spectrum disorder into neurons, showing specific defects compared with those neurons derived from healthy people. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Mark Freedman Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Stem cell researcher and politician Dr. Raj Kittappa to discuss his political expertise as well as his latest research endeavors with stem cells and Parkinson’s disease. Resources and Links Wine Being Made 6300 Years Ago – Researchers have uncorked the oldest solid evidence of grape-based wine making in Europe, and possibly the world, at a site in northern Greece using a new method of analyzing the chemicals in liquids absorbed by clay containers. Scientists Have Gained Insight to Why Mitochondrial DNA Is Passed Down to Children by Their Mothers — But Not Their Fathers – DNA inside energy-producing organelles called mitochondria is destroyed in a dad’s sperm shortly after it fertilizes an egg. A New Cause of Lyme Disease – This article reveals that a new species of bacteria is causing Lyme disease, adding to worries that the infection will continue its relentless escalation across the United States. Functional Coupling with Cardiac Muscle Promotes Maturation of hPSC-Derived Sympathetic Neurons – Researchers derive sympathetic neurons from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and show that they can form physical and functional connections with cardiac muscle cells. In Vivo Tracking of Human Hematopoiesis Reveals Patterns of Clonal Dynamics during Early and Steady-State Reconstitution Phases – Scientists discovered that in vitro-manipulated hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells retain the ability to return to latency after transplant and can be physiologically reactivated, sustaining a stable hematopoietic output. Derivation of Diverse Hormone-Releasing Pituitary Cells from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells – This article presents a simple and efficient strategy to derive human pituitary lineages from human pluripotent stem cells using monolayer culture conditions suitable for cell manufacturing. Retinoic Acid Is Sufficient for the In Vitro Induction of Mouse Spermatocytes – Researchers report that retinoic acid is sufficient for inducing leptotene/zygotene spermatocytes from cultured mouse spermatogonial stem cells. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Raj Kittappa Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Stem cell researcher Dr. Danwei Huangfu discusses her work and latest paper in Cell Stem Cell. Her team used CRISPR technology to genetically manipulate human pluripotent stem cells and induce pancreatic beta cells. Resources and Links FDA Warning about Imodium Ad Overdoses – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that higher-than-recommended doses of the antidiarrheal medicine loperamide, sold under the brand name Imodium, can lead to serious heart problems and even death. Who Advises Women to Delay Pregnancy over Zika Virus Threat – World Health Organisation (WHO) issues advice to millions of people in regions affected by virus that can cause severe birth defects and microcephaly. Sense of Touch and Autism – This article reveals that in mice, mutations in autism-related genes in skin nerve cells linked to anxiety, poor social skills. Four New Elements Now Have Names – Four elements that were officially added to the periodic table have been named as nihonium, moscovium, tennessine, and oganesson. Integrated Genomic Analysis of Diverse Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell from the Progenitor Cell Biology Consortium – The Progenitor Cell Biology Consortium performed comprehensive experimental and genomic analyses of 58 induced pluripotent stem cells from ten laboratories generated using a variety of reprogramming genes, vectors, and cells. A Cure for Multiple Sclerosis? – According to this article, chemotherapy, combined with stem cell transplants, could halt the onslaught of multiple sclerosis in people suffering from the disease. New Techniques to Assess the Fate of Stem Cells In Vivo – Researchers from the Université Libre de Bruxelles Cancer Research Center, led by Cédric Blanpain, developed new methods to assess with great precision the multipotent or unipotent fate of mammary gland and prostate stem cells. Generation of Mice with Longer and Better Preserved Telomeres in the Absence of Genetic Manipulations – This article reveals how researchers use mouse embryonic stem cells with ‘hyper-long’ telomeres, which also express green fluorescent protein, to generate chimaeric mice containing cells with both hyper-long and normal telomeres. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Danwei Huangfu Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Stem cell researcher Dr. Kristin Hope discusses her work and latest paper in Nature. Her team examined umbilical cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem cells and the RNA-binding protein musashi-2. Resources and Links Doctors Say Olympics Should Be Postponed or Moved – Doctors and professors are urging the World Health Organization to move or postpone the summer Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro due to the widening Zika outbreak in Brazil. Bacteria Resistant to Last-Resort Antibiotic Appears in U.S. – This article reports that a 49-year-old woman in United States has tested positive for a strain of Escherichia coli, known as mrc-1, which is resistant to the antibiotic colistin and that the bacteria’s gene rides on a transferable loop of DNA called a a plasmid. Fruit Fly’s Giant Sperm Is Quite an Exaggeration – This article reveals that certain fruit fly species, such as Drosophila bifurca, males measuring just a few millimeters produce sperm with a tail as long as 5.8-centimeters. FDA Approves Device to Wean Addicts off Heroin – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug-emitting implant to combat addiction to heroin and other opioids killing thousands of people annually. Stem Cell Industry Blowing Up... The Global Market for Stem Cells – This article reports that the global stem cell market reached over $5.9 billion in 2015 and will grow from about $6.7 billion in 2016 to nearly $12.3 billion in 2021, registering a compound annual growth rate of 13.1% from 2016 through 2021. Israeli Firms Develop High-Speed 3D Printer for Stem Cells – Israeli 3D printer firm Nano Dimension has successfully lab-tested a 3D bioprinter for stem cells, paving the way for the potential printing of large tissues and organs. Biologists Find How Plants Reconstitute Stem Cells – A team of biologists at New York University showed that regenerating plants can naturally reconstitute their stem cells from more mature cells by replaying embryogenesis. Genetic Drift Can Compromise Mitochondrial Replacement by Nuclear Transfer in Human Oocytes – Researchers show that using human mitochondrial replacement stem cell lines, even though the low levels of heteroplasmy introduced into human oocytes by mitochondrial carryover during nuclear transfer often vanish, they can sometimes instead result in mtDNA genotypic drift and reversion to the original genotype. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Kristin Hope Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Stem cell researcher and neuroscientist Dr. Su-Chun Zhang discusses his work and latest paper in Cell Stem Cell. His paper looks at grafting human pluripotent stem cells in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Resources and Links Scientists Talk Privately about Creating a Synthetic Human Genome – Scientists are now contemplating the fabrication of a human genome, meaning they would use chemicals to manufacture all the DNA contained in human chromosomes. Second Skin’ May Reduce Wrinkles, Eyebags, Scientists Say – Researchers said a “second skin” composed of commonly used chemicals like siloxanes can be painted on your skin and give it the elasticity of youth. Faulty Gene Can Turn Colds Deadly for Babies, Toddlers – This article reveals that some children have rare genetic variants that can turn their first encounter with colds and other respiratory viruses deadly. Australia Will Release Herpes into Its Rivers to Wipe Out Invasive Carp – This article reports that the Australian government plans to use a herpes virus to eradicate the country’s most devastating invasive species—common carp. The US Is about to Hit a Big Solar Energy Milestone – The US is on track to hit a big number in renewable energy: more than 1 million American homes should have solar panels by February 2016. Stem Cells Are Dangerously Overhyped, Warn Researchers – A study recently published says it’s time for everyone—from the media, to press officers, to journal publishers and even the scientists themselves—to chill out about stem cells. New Stem Cell Discovery Could Boost Corn Crop Yields by an Astounding 50 Percent – This article reports that a newly discovered stem cell signaling pathway could boost yields from corn and other staple crops by up to 50 percent in the very near term. Zika Virus Disrupts Neural Progenitor Development and Leads to Microcephaly in Mice – Researchers found that Asian Zika virus strain SZ01 could infect neural precursor cells in vivo and affect brain development; it replicates efficiently in embryonic mouse brain by directly targeting different neuronal linages. Zika Virus Depletes Neural Progenitors in Human Cerebral Organoids through Activation of the Innate Immune Receptor TLR3 – This article describes how Zika virus infection leads to microcephaly, using human embryonic stem cell-derived cerebral organoids to recapitulate early stage, first trimester fetal brain development. Why Lab-Made Stem Cells Might Fail: Errors in DNA Folding – Researchers have discovered one of the reasons why induced pluripotent stem cells don't always correctly differentiate back into adult cells: the reversion process does not always fully capture the way a cell's genome is folded up inside its nucleus. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Su-Chun Zhang Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Stem cell researcher Dr. Arnold Kriegstein from the University of California, San Francisco to discusses his work and latest paper in Cell Stem Cell on how the Zika virus affects neural stem cells. Resources and Links Zika Is More Dangerous than We Thought – This article describes the danger of Zika virus like microcephaly in children born from women who have had Zika during pregnancy and Guillain-Barre syndrome – a nerve disorder that causes temporary muscle paralysis. Plants Use Prions to Remember – This article reveals that prions, proteins that change shape and shift tasks, may occur in plants as a form of memory. Uncertainty Is Stressful, but that Stress May Not Always Be Bad – This article demonstrates that subjective estimates of uncertainty predict the dynamics of subjective and physiological stress responses. Dragons Sleep Like Us – Sleeping lizards appear to share distinctive brain activity patterns with sleeping birds and mammals. EPA Boosts Estimate of U.S. Methane Emissions – This article reports that US. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has boosted its estimate of total U.S. methane emissions by 13 percent, which is an increase of more than 3.4 million metric tons of the greenhouse gas and has the same long-term global warming impact as a year’s worth of emissions from about 20 million cars. Risky Skull Surgery Done for Ritual Reasons 6,000 Years Ago – This article reveals that between 6,000 and 4,000 years ago, skilled surgeons in southwestern Russia cut holes the size of silver dollars or larger out of the backs of people’s skills for ritual reasons. Miniature, Beating Hearts Grown Using Stem Cells – Researchers describe an approach that combines features of engineered heart muscle and cardiospheres: micro-heart muscle arrays, in which elongated muscle fibers are formed in an easily fabricated template, with as few as 2,000 iPS-cardiomyocytes per individual tissue. Genome Editing of Lineage Determinants in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Reveals Mechanisms of Pancreatic Development and Diabetes – Researchers not only verified conserved gene requirements between mice and humans but also revealed a number of previously unsuspected developmental mechanisms with implications for type 2 diabetes. Chemical Control of Grafted Human PSC-Derived Neurons in a Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease – This article shows tunable rescue of motor function in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, following transplantation of human midbrain dopaminergic neurons differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) engineered to express DREADDs (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drug). Combined Inhibition of DNMT and HDAC Blocks the Tumorigenicity of Cancer Stem-Like Cells and Attenuates Mammary Tumor Growth – A combination of the DNMT inhibitor 5-azacytidine and the HDAC inhibitor butyrate markedly reduced cancer stem cell abundance and increased the overall survival in this mouse model. Scientists Uncover New Way to Grow Rare Life-Saving Blood Stem Cells – This article shows that overexpression of the RNA-binding protein Musashi-2 (MSI2) induces multiple pro-self-renewal phenotypes, including a 17-fold increase in short-term repopulating cells and a net 23-fold ex vivo expansion of long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Arnold Kriegstein Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe