The Stem Cell Podcast

Guest: Dr. Malin Parmar is a Professor at Lund University and a New York Stem Cell Foundation – Robertson Investigator. Her research aims to understand cell fate specification in the developing brain and in human neural progenitor cells using cell-based models of neuronal differentiation. She talks about using assembloids to model the dopaminergic system, direct reprogramming somatic cells into induced neurons, and developing ESC-derived dopamine progenitor cells to treat Parkinson’s disease. Featured Products and Resources: Submit your abstract for ISSCR 2024 before February 14th! STEMdiff™ Neural Crest Differentiation Kit creates a serum-free medium for differentiation of hESCs and iPSCs to neural crest cells. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Fetal Brain Organoids – Human fetal brain organoids display cellular heterogeneity and can be expanded. SARS-CoV-2 in the Brain – hPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conjuctiva Organoids – Human conjunctiva organoid cultures enable the study of conjunctival (patho)-physiology. Zebrafish Heart Regeneration – Scientists identified epicardial enhancer elements with specific activity during zebrafish development or during adult heart regeneration. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Malin Parmar Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Olivier Pourquié is the Frank Burr Mallory Professor of Pathology and Professor in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School. His work focuses on the segmentation clock and the development of muscles and vertebrae. He talks about studying somitogenesis in vitro and his work on brown fat development. Featured Products and Resources: Register now for ISSCR 2024! Derive and expand with MyoCult™-SF Expansion Medium. The Stem Cell Science Round Up A GENtoniK Cocktail – A small molecule cocktail accelerates the maturation of hPSC-derived neurons. Pancreatic Cancer Organoids – Researchers identified a compound that can inhibit the growth and induce cell death of pancreatic organoids carrying a KRAS mutation. Multilineage Mammary Organoids – Multilineage ESC-derived mammary organoids contain mammary-specific epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and adipocytes, and can produce milk. Chimeric Super-SOX – The Yamanaka cocktail upgraded with Sox2-17 enhanced iPSC generation in five species. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Olivier Pourquié Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guests: Dr. Hwee Goon Tay is an Assistant Professor at the Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School and Dr. Beau Fenner is an Ophthalmologist at the Singapore National Eye Centre. Their work focuses on cell therapy for degenerative retinal diseases. They talk about strategies to slow degeneration and potentially restore vision. Featured Products and Resources: Enter to win up to $500 USD towards your registration fee for a cell and gene therapy conference. Explore STEMCELL Technologies’ resources on PSC quality. The Stem Cell Round Up A Hypoblast from hPSCs – Researchers used genetic and non-genetic approaches to generate authentic hypoblast cells from naïve hPSCs. Culture Conditions for Mouse and Monkey Stem Cells – Stem cell co-cultures reveal crosstalk between embryonic and extraembryonic lineages. Modeling Parkinson’s and Addiction – Scientists developed midbrain–striatum–cortical organoids that enable investigations into the human dopaminergic system. Multi-Chamber Cardioids – A human cardioid platform recapitulates the development of all major embryonic heart compartments. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Drs. Hwee Goon Tay and Beau Fenner Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Jose Polo is a Professor of Epigenetics and the Director of the Centre for Epigenetics at the University of Adelaide. He is also a Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology at Monash University. His lab studies the transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms that govern cell identity. He talks about his team’s work on cell fate, iBlastoids, and placental models for SARS-CoV-2. Featured Products and Resources: Enter to win up to $500 USD towards your registration fee for a cell and gene therapy conference. Explore STEMCELL Technologies’ resources for organoid research. The Stem Cell Science Round Up A Chimeric Monkey – Scientists produced the first live-born chimeric non-human primate to have a high proportion of cells originating from donor stem cells. Norepinephrine Neurons – Researchers generated locus coeruleus norepinephrine neurons from human pluripotent stem cells, enabling the investigation of their roles in psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Mice with Rat Hearts – Intraspecies blastocyst complementation generated a functional cardiovascular system in mice. Cancer Risk in Gene Therapy – Scientists identified genetic drivers that could increase leukemia risk in gene therapy trials for sickle cell disease. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Jose Polo Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Dr. Stefan Irion and Dr. Viviane Tabar discuss BlueRock’s clinical trial for Parkinson’s disease therapy, challenges in stem cell therapy commercialization, career opportunities in biotech, patient progress in disease treatment, promoting diversity in neurosurgery, and the importance of inclusivity in research.

Guest: Dr. Helen Blau is the Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation Professor and Director of the Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology at Stanford University. Dr. Blau’s research focuses on the basic molecular mechanisms of stem cells and muscle and their application to aging, regenerative medicine, and disease. Her lab aims to understand and apply biology to improve quality of life, and their current primary focus is on understanding the gerozyme 15-PGDH. She talks about the roles of NSAIDs and CD47 in muscle regeneration. She also discusses growing cultured meat and writing a children’s book! Featured Products and Resources: Keep current with the latest in muscle cell news. STEMCELL Technologies’ human MyoCult™ workflow supports your muscle research from start to finish, allowing you to derive, expand, and differentiate human skeletal muscle progenitors. The Stem Cell Science Round Up The First Vertebrate Heartbeats – Using all-optical electrophysiology, researchers captured the very first heartbeat of a zebrafish. Axolotl Limb Regeneration – Senescent cells comprise a pro-regenerative niche during axolotl limb regrowth. Type 2 Diabetes-Associated Genes – Scientists engineered isogenic knockout human embryonic stem cell lines for 20 genes associated with type 2 diabetes risk. Skull-Brain Communication in Craniosynostosis – Impaired meningeal lymphatics and brain perfusion drive neurocognitive defects in an animal model of craniosynostosis. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Helen Blau Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Roger Foo is the Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Professor of Medicine and Head of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the National University of Singapore. His lab investigates the molecular mechanisms that regulate cardiac biology and disease. He talks about the genetics of heart disease and the roles of circular RNAs. Featured Products and Resources: Register for a live podcast recording with BlueRock Therapeutics in New York! STEMdiff™ Ventricular Cardiomyocyte Differentiation Kit The Stem Cell Science Round Up Kidney Xenotransplantation – Researchers used kidneys from a genetically engineered porcine donor to explore kidney graft transplantation in monkeys. Parkinson’s Disease Cell Therapy – A cryopreserved dopamine progenitor cell product derived from hESCs was tested in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease and a first-in-human clinical trial was approved. CRISPR Screening for Knee Regeneration – Scientists performed genome-wide CRISPR activation screening using a model of progeroid syndrome and identified rejuvenating factors. Cell Therapy for Epilepsy – Researchers developed and characterized a cell therapy alternative for drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Roger Foo Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Dr. Bas Trietsch discusses organ-on-a-chip technology for drug discovery. Topics include CRISPR screens for neurodevelopmental disorders, cardiomyocyte regeneration in neonatal hearts, bioengineered tracheas for transplantation, organoplate technology in drug research, and the importance of comprehensive models for immune cell targeting in tumors. The discussion also covers the transition of organ-on-a-chip technology from academia to commercial viability.

Guest: Dr. Thorold Theunissen is an Assistant Professor of Developmental Biology at Washington University in St. Louis investigating the molecular basis of pluripotency, the mechanisms of trophoblast development, and the generation of stem cell-based embryo models. Dr. Rowan Karvas is a CRM Fellow in Regenerative Medicine working in the Theunissen lab. They talk about their recent work developing 3D-cultured blastoids and how they could be used to study pregnancy-related diseases and infertility. Featured Products and Resources: Take your human pluripotent stem cell cultures further with mTESR™ Plus. Save time and keep current with ESC & iPSC News from STEMCELL Science News. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Lab-Grown Human Embryos – Researchers have created structured stem cell-based embryo models and have grown them outside the womb for 14 days post-fertilization. A Human Model for Autism – Scientists have developed a single-cell brain organoid screen to identify developmental defects in autism. Semi-Human Kidneys in Pigs – Researchers have successfully grown kidneys containing human cells in pig embryos. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Thorold Theunissen and Rowan Karvas. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

Guest: Dr. Nicolas Rivron is a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna. His group recreates embryonic development using mammalian stem cells in a dish to better understand the encoded principles of self-organization. He talks about building human blastoid models and using them to study implantation. He also discusses differences in development between mice and humans, trophectoderm stem cells, and an ethical framework for embryo models. Featured Products and Resources: Keep current with the latest in ESC and iPSC news. Download a free e-book on organoid research  The Stem Cell Science Round Up Cell Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease – A Phase I trial showed safety, tolerability, and an improvement in dyskinesia symptoms. CRISPR for Sickle Cell Disease – CRISPR-Cas9 disruption of the HBG1 and HBG2 gene promoters was an effective strategy for induction of fetal hemoglobin. Towards a Universal CAR T Cell Therapy for Blood Cancers – Epitope-edited CAR T cells were effective against patient-derived acute myeloid leukemia, B cell lymphoma, and acute T cell leukemia. Transient-Naive-Treatment Reprogramming – A new reprogramming strategy produces hiPSCs with similar epigenetic and functional profiles to human embryonic stem cells. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Nicolas Rivron Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe