The Stem Cell Podcast

In this conversation, Dr. Flora Vaccarino, a Yale neuroscientist specializing in neural stem cells and autism, shares her innovative research using human iPSCs to explore autism spectrum disorder. She discusses how selecting families with brain overgrowth helps pinpoint autism subtypes and the significance of mosaicism in iPSC genomes. Flora reveals breakthroughs in GABAergic neuron production in autism-derived organoids and speculates on future diagnostics that could enhance early intervention. Get ready for insightful lab anecdotes and expert predictions!

Dr. Chris Armstrong, CEO of Stem Cell Theranostics and expert in molecular biology, discusses innovative uses of iPSCs to model cardiovascular diseases. He explains how his company combines diagnostics with therapeutics to advance drug discovery. The conversation dives into techniques for screening therapies and assessing drug-induced cardiotoxicity. They also touch on the regulatory landscape around iPSC models, emphasizing their potential role in personalized medicine. Chris's journey from academia to biotech leadership adds a personal touch to the scientific insights.

In this insightful discussion, Dr. George Daley, a renowned stem cell biologist from Harvard, shares his journey from leukemia research to leading advancements in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. He dives into the future of generating patient-specific blood stem cells and the challenges of directed differentiation. Daley emphasizes the continued importance of embryonic research alongside iPS technology. With light-hearted lab stories, he also touches on the ethical landscape and the exciting potential of CRISPR and organoids in transforming medicine.

Guest: In this episode we give you the second part of our broadcast live from the ISSCR 2015 International Conference from Stockholm, Sweden. On the show, we randomly pull attendees aside and ask them to us their stem cell story, and detail some of their research topics and accomplishments. Some of those interviewed on the show include Dr. Sean Morrison, the President of ISSCR, and Dr. Paul Tesar of Case Western Reserve University. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: In this episode we broadcast live from the ISSCR 2015 International Conference from Stockholm, Sweden.  On the show, we randomly pull attendees aside and ask them to us their stem cell story, and detail some of their research topics and accomplishments.  Everyone from graduate students, post-docs, patients who have received stem cell transplants, to big name researchers, we get them all. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: In this episode we discuss topics ranging from, more sports stars getting stem cell therapy, a mutation that eliminates prion disease, a perspective on aging by studying stem cells, chimps getting drunk in the wild on there own, a Nobel laureate who made awful comments regarding women in science and your birthdate as a predictor of disease. Resources and Links Scientists Film Death of White Blood Cell for First Time and Discover Alert System – Australian and US scientists capture on video each stage of death of a human white blood cell, revealing the dying cells apparently try to alert their neighbors by ejecting molecules into nearby cells, possibly to alert them to the potential presence of a pathogen. Sun like It Hot: Philae Comet Probe Wakes up, Phones Home Again – European Space Agency has confirmed that the Philae probe on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko has been in contact again, and that the lander is getting more than enough sunshine on its solar panels to power itself continuously. Molecules Reach Coldest Temperature Ever – This article describes how the MIT researchers chilled a gas of sodium potassium 500 nanokelvin. New Study: Chimps Go Bananas over Palm Wine – Scientists report that chimps in western Africa have taken to purloining drinks from vats of palm wine left unguarded by humans. Autism Risk May Be Influenced by Age Gap Between Parents – Researchers have demonstrated with the largest ever multinational study of parental age and autism risk that the children of teen mothers, older parents and parents with an age gap of ten years or more have a higher risk of autism spectrum disorder than other children. Nobel Prize-winning Professor Tim Hunt Resigns after Sexist Remarks about ‘Girls’ in Lab – The Nobel Prize-winning biochemist Tim Hunt stepped down from his position at the University College London after making sexist comments at the World Conference of Science Journalists in South Korea. Your Birth Month May Predict Your Health Issues: Heart Disease Rates Higher March to June – This article explores the relationship between the month a person is born and their risk for disease according to the algorithm created by scientists from Columbia University. Traditional Medicine: Thunder God Vine as Potential Obesity Treatment – An extract from the thunder god vine, long used in traditional Chinese medicine, reduces food intake and causes up to a 45% decrease in body weight in obese mice because of its weight-loss compound called Celastrol, which produces its potent effects by enhancing the action of an appetite-suppressing hormone called leptin. Virotherapy: Skin Cancer Successfully Treated with Herpes-Based Drug – This article describes how ‘virotherapy’ uses modified herpes virus to attack melanoma cells and has potential to overcome cancer even when disease has spread throughout the body. Pop Music’s Most Important Revolution? That Would be Hip-Hop, Science Reveals – Engineers and biologists analyzed 17,000 digitized songs from Billboard’s Hot 100 to produce an evolutionary history of American popular music and determined that Hip-Hop was more influential than Beatles. Genes Make Some People More Attractive to Mosquitoes – Certain body odors appear to entice the mosquitoes and those smells may be hereditary. Stanford Stem Cell Product, Delayed for More than a Decade, to Be Tested Again – Stanford’s Irv Weissman is said to resume his research after a decade of delay in creating a unique way to grow and deliver blood stem cells to desperate patients with aggressive cancers, boosting survival rates. Former NFL Quarterback Bart Starr Took Part in Stem Cell Trial – Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr is participating in a clinical trial using stem cells as a possible treatment for strokes. Avocado a Treatment for Leukemia? Fruit Molecules Found to Target Stem Cells of Cancer – Scientists have learned that avocado lipids used in making a compound named avocation B can help treat leukemia stem cells in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Protein Plays Unexpected Role in Embryonic Stem Cells – Scientists discovered that a nucleoporin called Nup153 (green) control how embryonic stem cells (blue) develop. Stem Cells Used to Induce Mouse Hearts to Repair Themselves – Researchers at the Temple University School of Medicine induced the damaged cells of a heart in a mouse model to heal themselves using exosomes from stem cells. Programming and Reprogramming Cellular Age in the Era of Induced Pluripotency – This article discusses how induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) research may transform studies of aging and enable the precise programming of cellular age in parallel to cell-fate specification. Efficient Detection and Purification of Cell Populations Using Synthetic MicroRNA Switches – This article describes an efficient method for purifying cells based on endogenous miRNA activity. A Cost-Effective and Efficient Reprogramming Platform for Large-Scale Production of Integration-Free Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Chemically Defined Culture – Researchers describe their optimization procedure for induced pluripotent stem cells technology that enables a single technician to make 20–40 lines at a time in a 24–96 well format in a reliable and reproducible fashion. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Heather Rooke, Science Director at ISSCR previews the 2015 ISSCR conference in Stockholm, Sweden. Resources and Links Sawfish Resort to Virgin Births to Dodge Extinction – Scientists have discovered that some of the smalltooth sawfish have resorted to “virgin births” or what is called facultative parthenogenesis in the wild in an effort to survive. First Steps Taken for Regenerating Whole Limbs – The first steps toward developing “bioartificial” replacement limbs that are suitable for transplantation have reportedly been taken by a team at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Study Uncovers Link Between Blood Type and Risk of Cognitive Decline – This article reveals that blood type also may affect cognitive function as we age according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Sheffield in England. ‘Landmark Discovery’ of Vessels Connecting Brain to Immune System – The University of Virginia claim that “decades of textbook teaching” have been overturned by their researchers, who have found a previously undiscovered connection between the brain and the immune system. ‘Female Viagra’ Won’t Help Many, but That’s Not Stopping the Drug Company – This article describes the transition of Flibanserin, a pill initially intended to be an anti-depressant, to be marketed as a ‘female viagra’ or a pill to increase women’s sexual desires. Ubble: The Online Test to Predict If You’ll Die Within Five Years – According to this article, if you are a middle-aged man and want to know if you are going to die in the next five years, you simply need to ask yourself how healthy you think you are based on the website called Ubble (for UK Longevity Explorer). How an Undergraduate Discovered Tubes of Plasma in the Sky – This article describes the discovery of tubes of plasma drifting above Earth by an undergraduate student – Cleo Loi of Sydney Institute for Astronomy. The Philosophy of the Large Hadron Collider – The Large Hadron Collider at the European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN in Geneva has been built for fundamental physics, but it will also challenge and advance the philosophy, sociology and history of science. This Smart Robot Learns to ‘Heal’ Itself after Damage – Researchers at Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris recently published their paper detailing their findings of attempting to quantify the adaptive “healing” abilities of certain robots. It’s Alive! Yeast with Human DNA Raises New Genetic Possibilities – Edward Marcotte and his colleagues at the University of Texas at Austin created hundreds of strains of humanized yeast by inserting a single human gene into each strain and turning off the corresponding yeast gene. Retracted Gay-Marriage Study Debated at Misconduct Meet-Up – This article reports that over rum cocktails at the World Conference on Research Integrity, experts discussed what can be learnt from the fallout of a flawed political-science paper. 430,000-Year-Old Skull Suggests Murder Is an ‘Ancient Human Behavior’ – Archaeologists found an ancient skull deep in a cave in Spain, thought to be an evidence of the earliest known murder among our ancestors. Fetal Cells Injected into a Man’s Brain to Cure His Parkinson’s – This article shows a man in his mid-50s who had fetal brain cells injected into his brain as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Nature vs. Nurture: Research Shows it’s Both – Researchers reveal that on average the variation for human traits and diseases is 49 percent genetic, and 51 percent due to environmental factors and/or measurement errors. Gene-Editing: Hold Off for Now, White House Says – The White House suggests that scientists should hold off on experiments that could permanently alter people’s DNA and pass the changes along to future generations. Seminar Series on Stem Cells Begins June 24th – The Dallas PRP and Stem Cell Institute announces a new public seminar series to educate the public about the latest breakthrough applications for platelet rich plasma and autologous stem cells. Sex Hormones Maintain Stem Cells, May Explain Why 95% of Supercentenarians Are Women – This article suggests that a long life comes down to an individual’s sex hormones, especially for supercentenarians according to emerging stem cell research. Functional Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells on a Chip – This article describes a robust microfluidics-based approach for the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells directly on a chip. A CRISPR/Cas-Mediated Selection-free Knockin Strategy in Human Embryonic Stem Cells – Researchers recently developed an efficient gene-editing platform – iCRISPR, demonstrating a knockin strategy without drug selection for both active and silent genes in human embryonic stem cells. Functional Cortical Neurons and Astrocytes from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells in 3D Culture – This article presents a simple and reproducible 3D culture approach for generating a laminated cerebral cortex–like structure, named human cortical spheroids, from pluripotent stem cells. Transcriptome Signature and Regulation in Human Somatic Cell Reprogramming – Scientists extends the previous transcriptome studies by performing RNA-seq on cells defined by a combination of multiple cellular surface markers. Limited Hair Cell Induction from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using a Simple Stepwise Method – This article examines the efficacy of a simple induction method for inducing the differentiation of human iPS cells into hair cells. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Heather Rooke Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Alex Hannay, a product manager at Thermo Fisher, dives into the fascinating world of stem cell differentiation. He explains how pluripotent stem cells evolve into specialized types and discusses innovative products that simplify this process. The conversation touches on the significance of standardized differentiation media, breakthroughs in brain plasticity, and the potential of genetically modified yeast for morphine production. Hannay also emphasizes the vital role of customer feedback in refining stem cell research tools, navigating the complexities of product development in this exciting field.

Discover the surprising benefits of chewing gum in beating earworms and the ethical dilemmas of germline gene editing. Dive into groundbreaking research linking high blood sugar to Alzheimer's and innovative uses of 3D printing for medical solutions. Learn about advancements in CRISPR and stem cell technologies, and hear insights from scientists at a vibrant stem cell conference. From neurodevelopmental disorders to the lighter side of conference anecdotes, there's a blend of serious science and engaging stories.

Dr. Megan Munsie, an expert in stem cell ethics and education, teams up with Dr. Mario D’Cruz, a medical mentor for spinal cord injuries, to discuss a new resource designed to educate the public about stem cell treatments. They delve into recent advances in stem cell therapies while exploring the delicate balance between hope and the reality of treatments. The conversation highlights the need for informed decision-making, especially in navigating clinical trials and understanding the complexities of stem cell research.