The Stem Cell Report with Martin Pera

Collectively, retinal degenerative disorders are a major cause of blindness worldwide. For example, one of the most common disorders is age related macular degeneration, which alone affects nearly 200 million globally. In humans, and other mammals, the loss of the retinal cells is an irreversible process. However, in some non-mammalian vertebrates like frogs and fish, retinal neurons can regenerate. This process is dependent upon Müller glia, which can re-enter the cell cycle and reprogram into neurogenic progenitors upon retinal injury or disease. Progress has been made in understanding the genetic program underlying these regenerative process, and proof-of-principle experiments in the adult mouse retina demonstrated that genetic programs in frog and fish can be coopted to induce neurogenesis in mammals. Our guests today have extended this research to genetically reprogram fetal or organoid-derived human Müller glia into retinal neurons. They will talk about this work, the background underlying it and its potential applications. HostMartin Pera, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson Laboratory@martinperaJAXGuestsThomas Reh is a Professor of Biological Structure, and a member of Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine at the University of Washington. His research is focused on understanding retinal disease in disorders such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, and on developing treatments for vision loss. The Reh laboratory studies regeneration in animal models, including invertebrates like frog and fish, to understand the key genes involved in endogenous regeneration.  The ultimate goal of this research is to stimulate regeneration in the mammalian retina, and ultimately to restore sight in patients. Juliette Wohlschlegel is a postdoctoral scholar in the Reh laboratory. Dr. Wohlschlegel received her undergraduate degree in neuroscience from the Sorbonne Université, and her PhD from Institut de la Vision in France, where she studied inherited retinal diseases. Supporting ContentASCL1 induces neurogenesis in human Müller glia, Stem Cell ReportsAbout Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the open access, peer-reviewed  journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith nearly 5,000 members from 75+ countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.ISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen Snitkoff

Since the 1930’s research using human fetal tissue has been used in numerous scientific and medical advances that have saved millions of lives, including the development of vaccines and treatments for diseases. Despite its substantial contribution to medicine and science, significant public debate and misinformation persists surrounding the ethical use of human fetal tissue in biomedical research.  The ISSCR, led by its Public Policy Committee, have been tireless champions and advocates for sound science policy across the globe. This includes advocacy for fetal tissue research and working to inform policymakers and the public on the vast medical applications and advances that have, and will, come from the use of HFT in biomedical research. Towards that end, the ISSCR and the Lawrence Goldstein Policy Fellows have authored a recent paper in Stem Cell Reports entitled, Human Fetal Tissue is Critical for Biomedical Research. HostMartin Pera, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson Laboratory@martinperaJAX GuestsLawrence (Larry) Goldstein, PhD, is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Director Emeritus of Stem Cell Program at the University of California, San Diego. He is the namesake for the ISSCR’s Lawrence Goldstein Science Policy Fellowship which is training the next generation of scientists to impact public policy.  Tyler Lamb, JD, is the ISSCR’s Director of Policy and leads the Society’s global policy efforts.  Tamra Lysaght, PhD, University of Sydney, Australia, is an Associate Professor in Health Ethics.Justin Brumbaugh, PhD, University of Colorado Boulder, USA, is an Assistant Professor in Molecular Cellular & Developmental Biology. Supporting Materials Drs. Brumbaugh, Lysaght, and Goldstein, along with Brian Aguado, are authors of the recently published paper, Human Fetal Tissue is Critical for Biomedical Research.  About Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith more than 4,800 members from 75+ countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.ISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen Snitkoff

This November marks the 25th anniversary of the successful isolation and culture of human embryonic stem cells by Jamie Thompson.  This breakthrough was a turning point in biomedical research. This discovery provided scientists with a limitless source of human cells to understand human biology and model disease. The discovery also provided a novel pathway to develop tissues and cells that could potentially be used to provide curative diseases like diabetes and Parkinson’s, among others. To date, numerous companies are advancing human embryonic stem cell-based therapies in over 50 approved and regulated clinical trials.  However, in parallel to the legitimate, approved clinical trials, the great promise of this field has in a sense fostered a plague of rapid and continuous growth in the marketing of unregulated and unproven treatments, via direct-to-consumer clinics across the globe. These predatory clinics offer so-called stem cell therapies to treat myriad conditions with approaches not supported by rigorous scientific evidence. During the pandemic these treatments expanded to include COVID-19, including the use of what’s being advertised as exosome therapy.  GuestThe guest on today’s podcast is an expert on the stem cell marketplace of unproven treatments.  Leigh Turner is the Executive Director of the University of California Irvine Bioethics Program, and a Professor in the Program in Public Health’s Department of Health, Society, and Behavior. He is also a member of UCI’s Stem Cell Research Center.  His current research addresses ethical, legal, and social issues related to stem cells and regenerative medicine products. Dr. Turner served on the task force that developed the ISSCR Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation and is also a member of the ISSCR’s Ethics Committee. Dr. Turner and colleagues authored the recent paper in Stem Cell Reports entitled, Businesses Marketing Purported Stem Cell Treatments and Exosome Therapies for COVID-19: An Analysis of Direct-to-Consumer Online Advertising Claims.  HostMartin Pera, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson Laboratory@martinperaJAXAbout Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith more than 4,800 members from 75+ countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.ISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen Snitkoff

Human stem cell technology has led to remarkable insights into human biology in health and disease. However, for the results and outputs from this research to be accurate, meaningful, and durable, it is important that the field have agreed upon standards that ensure reproducibility and reliability of the data. The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) has developed a set of recommendations, including reporting criteria, for scientists in basic research laboratories. These criteria are designed to be technically and financially feasible and, when implemented, to enhance the reproducibility and rigor of stem cell research.  The guests on this episode  recently served as the co-chairs of the ISSCR Standards Task Force that developed the “Standards for Human Stem Cell Use in Research" and will discuss the need for the standards, the challenges they faced, and how they will help advance the field.  The initiative was made possible through contributions from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Doris Duke Foundation, and the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative.GuestsTenneille Ludwig is a Senior Scientist and Director of the WiCell Stem Cell Bank in Madison Wisconsin. As a postdoctoral fellow, Tenneille developed the TeSR media, the first defined, feeder-independent culture media for human embryonic stem cells. She holds leadership roles in numerous international efforts to improve the standards, characterization and banking of pluripotent stem cells including serving on the International Stem Cell Initiative and International Stem Cell Banking Initiative. Currently, Tenneille serves on the ISSCR’s Manufacturing, Clinical Translation, and Industry Committee and co-chaired the ISSCR’s Standards Task Force that developed the new document, “Standards for Human Stem Cell Use in Research.”  Peter Andrews is Professor Emeritus at the University of Sheffield in the UK. A founder of the field of human pluripotency, Peter has had a distinguished career studying embryonal carcinoma cells and human embryonic stem cells and was the first to discover that human pluripotent stem cells could develop genetic abnormalities during long term culture. He chaired the International Stem Cell Initiative, the first international effort to standardize methods for the characterization of human embryonic stem cells. Most recently, he co-chaired the ISSCR’s Standards Task Force that developed the new document, “Standards for Human Stem Cell Use in Research.” HostMartin Pera, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson Laboratory@martinperaJAXSupporting Contenthttps://www.isscr.org/standardshttps://www.isscr.org/standards-document About ISSCRWith more than 4,600 members from 75+ countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.ISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen Snitkoff

The use of organoids as an experimental system is rapidly advancing in pace and complexity. Derived from pluripotent or tissue stem cells, organoids are three-dimensional, in vitro, structures intended to model functional or developmental aspects of in vivo organs. They are also being used to model complex physiological systems in organ-on-chip devices and in assembloids, the combination of organoids from different tissues. Organoids are especially useful to model and understand aspects of human biology and pathology. This approach has led to much hope, and proof-of-principle findings, that these structures can serve as human avatars to advance the discovery of personalized therapies and serve as better models for drug discovery.  However, the rapidity of advances and the influx of diverse scientific backgrounds also presents challenges in an immature field, notable among them the adoption of standards.  Our guests today will talk about some of those challenges, the areas when standards are critically important, and how they will help advance the field.   Guests Professor Melissa Little is the CEO and Executive Director of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Chief Scientist at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, and leader of the Kidney Regeneration Laboratory in Melbourne, Australia. Melissa is a former President of the ISSCR and holds an honorary position as Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne. Kim Jensen is Professor at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and Deputy Director at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine. He is also a Scientific Advisory Board Member of the Lund Stem Cell Center and participated in the development of the recently released ISSCR standards document.  HostMartin Pera, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson Laboratory @martinperaJAXSupporting ContentOrganoids are not organs: Sources of variation and misinformation in organoid biologyAbout Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians. @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith more than 4,600 members from 75+ countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.ISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen Snitkoff

While teeth have evolved over millions of years, scientists are still working to understand how teeth develop, a process formally known as Odontogenesis. Our guests today have developed a new model of mouse tooth development using long-term expandable 3D tooth organoids from postnatal mouse molars and incisors. This novel mouse model provides a valuable tool to study mouse tooth dental epithelial stem cells, dental epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, and differentiation processes, while allowing further elucidation of tooth type-specific features. These models, in combination with human tooth organoids, have great potential to further unravel tooth biology and repair and may be an alluring tool to eventually enable tooth bioengineering strategies.Annelies Bronckaers is an Associate Professor at Hasselt University in Belgium. Her laboratory specializes in cellular, embryonic, and mouse models to study angiogenesis and tissue regeneration, stem cell differentiation, signal pathway analysis, and ischemic stroke.Florian Hermans is a postdoctoral fellow at the Universiteit Hasselt in the laboratory of [INSERT]. He recently obtained his PhD in biomedical sciences through joint program between the Hasselt University and the University of Leuven where he worked with in the Bronckaers and Vankelecom laboratories. Prior to his PhD, Dr. Hermans earned master’s degrees in intellectual property, ICT law, and biomedical sciences.Hugo Vankelecom runs the Laboratory of Tissue Plasticity in Health and Disease and is a full Professor at the University of Leuven. His laboratory is focused primarily on organs involved in endocrinology and reproduction, in particular the pituitary gland, master regulator of our hormonal system, and the uterus. HostMartin Pera, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXSupporting ContentOrganoids from mouse molar and incisor as new tools to study tooth-specific biology and developmentAbout Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith more than 4,600 members from 75+ countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.ISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen Snitkoff

Over the last 10 years of Stem Cell Reports, the journal has published nearly 2,000 papers across the breadth of stem cell research. In this special episode of the podcast, we are celebrating the anniversary of the journal by talking with the authors from some of the most highly cited publications in the journal's history.The guests on this episode of the podcast have collective expertise that makes them the “dream team” of muscle stem cell biology and its application to treat disease.   Akitsu Hotta is a Principal Investigator and Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University and was the recipient of the 2020 Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine Award. His laboratory published the 2015 paper, Precise correction of the dystrophin gene in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patient induced pluripotent stem cells by TALEN and CRISPR-Cas9. Thomas Rando is the Director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology at the University of California Los Angeles, where he is also Professor of Neurology and of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology. Dr Rando is a board-certified neurologist and a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is also the 2023 recipient of the ISSCR Achievement Award, which recognizes the transformative body of work of an investigator that has had a major impact on the field of stem cell research or regenerative medicine. His laboratory published the 2015 paper, entitled, the Ex vivo expansion and in vivo self-renewal of human muscle stem cells. April Pyle is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics at the University of California Los Angeles and a member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Stem Cell Center, the Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA. She is also an Associate Editor of Stem Cell Reports. HostMartin Pera, PhD, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXAbout ISSCRWith more than 4,600 members from 75+ countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.ISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen Snitkoff

Human pluripotent stem cells have an unlimited capacity to self-renew in culture. This feature, along with their ability to become any cell type in the adult body, makes them a unique tool to study human biology in health and disease. Unfortunately, human pluripotent stem cells have a propensity to acquire genetic abnormalities in culture that may limit their scientific and clinical use.Among the most prevalent genomic changes found in pluripotent stem cells are various forms of over-representation of sequences on the long arm of chromosome 20, with up to 20% of tested cultures containing such an aberration. One such anomaly, the isochromosome 20 mutation, is also found in amniocentesis analyses.  In  this episode, Martin Pera is joined by three scientists, who along with their colleagues, authored the recent paper published in Stem Cell Reports entitled, The isochromosome 20q abnormality of pluripotent cells interrupts germ layers differentiation.  This publication explores the effects of this particular anomaly on the ability of pluripotent stem cells to differentiate both spontaneously and by directed differentiation.  The results were surprising, with implications for understanding early development and the potential therapeutic use of pluripotent stem cells. The authors  also discuss some of the challenges of working with pluripotent stem cells. GuestsIvana Barbaric, PhD, University of Sheffield, UK Pete Coffey, PhD, University College London and the University of California, Santa Barbara, US Loriana Vitillo, PhD, University College London, UKHostMartin Pera, PhD, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXSupporting ContentThe isochromosome 20q abnormality of pluripotent cells interrupts germ layer differentiation, Vitillo, et. al., Stem Cell Reports (2023)About Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the open access journal of the ISSCR for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians. Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith more than 4,600 members from 75+ countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.ISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen Snitkoff

The PiWi family of genes may have a diminutive sounding name, but they have a large role in the function of the germline and germline stem cells. Initially discovered in Drosophila, these highly conserved RNA-binding proteins have well-established roles in the regulation of spermatogenesis and germ stem cell maintenance, in addition to silencing transposable elements. However, PiWi function outside of the germline is relatively unexplored. New findings from the Lin laboratory show that Drosophila Piwi has a role in intestinal homeostasis where it functions to establish intestinal stem cells, maintain the enteroblast lineage, and support of the enterocytes. It also has a role in silencing retrotransposons of the gut. Collectively, these intestinal roles of PiWi are critical to organismal longevity as the loss of PiWi leads to a shortened lifespan in the fly. Martin Pera is joined by scientists Drs. Haifan Lin and Xiongzhuo Tang. Dr. Lin is the Eugene Higgins Professor of Cell Biology and the Founding Director of the Yale Stem Cell Center. Among his many achievements, Haifan is a member of US National Academy of Sciences, a member of American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a Foreign Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is currently the president of the ISSCR. Xiongzhuo Tang was a postdoctoral fellow in the Lin laboratory and is now a professor in the Animal and Nutritional Genome and Germplasm Innovation Research Center in the College of Animal Science and Technology at the Hunan Agricultural University in Hunan China.Drs. Lin and Tang are authors of the recent paper published in Stem Cell Reports entitled, Piwi maintains homeostasis in the Drosophila adult intestine.GuestsHaifan Lin, PhD, Yale UniversityXiongzhuo Tang, PhD, Hunan Agricultural UniversityHostMartin Pera, PhD, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXSupporting ContentPiwi maintains homeostasis in the Drosophila adult intestine, Tang, et al., Stem Cell Reports (2023)About Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the open access journal of the ISSCR for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians. Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith more than 4,600 members from 75+ countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.ISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen Snitkoff

This episode is sponsored by Bio-Techne. While advances in stem cell science have led to an increasing number of stem cell-based therapies entering clinical trials, the field is still relatively immature. Thus, these first-in-human trials are using pioneering approaches unique unto themselves, leaving scientists, physicians, and regulators to assess the best approaches for a specific therapy and/or disease.  In this episode of the podcast, Martin Pera is joined by physician-scientists Roger Barker and Rajesh Rao who have and are leading stem cell-based trials to discuss some of the critical aspects of the process and reflect on the “lessons learnt” during their translational journey.  Roger Barker, a pioneer in developing cell therapies for Parkinson’s disease, is a Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge and Consultant Neurologist at the Addenbrooke’s Hospital Cambridge. He is a Principal Investigator in the Medical Research Council (MRC) – Wellcome Trust Stem Cell Institute in Cambridge and Director of the MRC-funded UK Regenerative Medicine Platform Stem and Engineered Cell Hub. Roger is a current ISSCR Board Member, former chair of the ISSCR’s Clinical Translation Committee and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.Rajesh Rao is an ophthalmologist and the Leonard G Miller Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Michigan; Director of Retina Service at VA Ann Arbor Health System; and the Leslie H. and Abigail S. Wexner Emerging Scholar at the A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute. Dr. Rao is currently running a cell replacement therapy for macular degeneration and is the current chair of the ISSCR’s Clinical Translation Committee.GuestsRoger Barker, MBBS, PhD, University of Cambridge, UKRajesh Rao, MD, University of Michigan, USAHostMartin Pera, PhD, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXSupporting ContentLessons learnt, and still to learn, in first in human stem cell trials, Barker et al, Stem Cell Reports (2022)About Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the open access journal of the ISSCR for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians. Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith more than 4,600 members from 75+ countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.ISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen Snitkoff

This episode is sponsored by Bio-Techne.Computational approaches have become integral to understanding biological processes, in part because of a need to come to grips with the enormous amounts of high dimensional data that we generate using our current tools for cellular analysis. This is especially relevant for stem cell and developmental biology where development, disease modeling, regulatory networks, and lineage formation all lend themselves to the combination of experimental and computational methods. Today’s program explores how computational biology approaches can be used to understand and model early development, specifically the lineage commitment of the early embryo and its broader application to enhance the engineering of cell differentiation strategies. Martin Pera is joined by bioengineers Peter Zandstra and Himanshu Kaul. Dr. Zandstra is one of the early pioneers in the application of engineering principles to study stem cell biology and is a Professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering and the Michael Smith Laboratories at the University of British Columbia. He has received numerous honors and awards including being named the Canada Research Chair in Stem Cell Bioengineering and he is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. Dr. Kaul is a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow in the School of Engineering and Department of Respiratory Sciences and a new group leader at the University of Leicester. HostMartin Pera, PhD – Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAX GuestsPeter Zandstra, PhD, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaHimanshu Kaul, PhD,  University of Leicester, Leicester, UK Supporting ContentVirtual cells in a virtual microenvironment recapitulate early development-like patterns in human pluripotent stem cell colonies About Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith more than 4,600 members from 75+ countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.Twitter: @ISSCRAcknowledgementsISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen SnitkoffMusic@Konovalov

This episode of The Stem Cell Report will explore the scientific applications, advances, and challenges of interspecies chimeras – organisms consisting of cells from at least two different species. The development of interspecies chimeras, most recently advanced by the discovery of pluripotent stem cells and enhancements in genetic editing, have led to greater understanding of fundamental developmental and biological concepts, insight into evolution, and even the development of potential regenerative approaches for human health. Martin Pera will be joined by Drs. Ori Bar-Nur and Jun Wu, along with Joel Zvick, next generation scientists who are pioneering advances in interspecies chimera research.HostMartin Pera, PhD – Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXGuestsOri Bar-Nur, PhD, ETH Zurich, Switzerland Joel Zvick, ETH Zurich, Switzerland  Jun Wu, PhD, UT Southwestern, USA Supporting ContentExclusive generation of rat spermatozoa in sterile mice utilizing blastocyst complementation with pluripotent stem cells, Stem Cell Reports, 2022About Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith 4,500 members from more than 70 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.Twitter: @ISSCRAcknowledgementsISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen SnitkoffMusic@Konovalov

In this episode of The Stem Cell Report, sponsored by Bio-Techne, we will explore the modeling of complex human neuropsychiatric diseases such as autism, bipolar disorder, and others using stem cell-based, three-dimensional culture models of the brain and its development. Martin Pera will be joined by Drs. Carol Marchetto and Rusty Gage, experts in the normal and pathological development of the brain. Carol Marchetto is an Assistant Professor in the Anthropology Department at the University of California, San Diego and an adjunct Assistant Professor at the Salk Institute. Rusty Gage is the Vi and John Adler Chair for Research on Age-Related Neurodegenerative Disease and the President of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. He has received numerous awards and recognition for his research including his appointment as a Fellow of the National Academy of Medicine. He is a former president of the ISSCR and a current member of the Stem Cell Reports Editorial Board. HostMartin Pera, PhD – Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXGuestsCarol Marchetto, PhD, University of California, San Diego, USA Rusty Gage, PhD, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA  Supporting ContentReaching into the toolbox: Stem cell models to study neuropsychiatric disordersEthical, Legal, and Regulatory Issues Associated with Neural Chimeras and OrganoidsAbout Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith nearly 4,500 members from more than 70 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.Twitter: @ISSCRAcknowledgementsISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen SnitkoffMusic@Konovalov

To celebrate the ISSCR’s 20th anniversary, Martin Pera is joined by three members of the ISSCR Board of Directors; Fiona Doetsch (Biozentrum at the University of Basel, Switzerland), Clerk of the ISSCR, Takanori Takebe (Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, USA/Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Yokohama City University, Japan) is a Director, and Leonard Zon (Boston Children’s Hospital, USA) is an Ex Officio member, past president, and founder of the ISSCR. In addition to running their own laboratories these scientists are part of the ISSCR leadership and will talk about the ISSCR’s history, impact, the recent meeting, and the Society’s future.  GuestsFiona Doetsch, PhD, University of Basel, SwitzerlandTakanori Takebe, MD, PhD, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, USA and Institute of Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, JapanLeonard Zon, MD, Boston Children’s Hospital, USA and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, USA HostMartin Pera, PhD – Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXSupporting ContentISSCR WebsiteStem Cell ReportsISSCR 2022About Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith nearly 4,000 members from more than 65 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.Twitter: @ISSCRAcknowledgementsISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen SnitkoffMusic@Konovalov

In this episode of The Stem Cell Report, Martin Pera is joined by three experts on the eye, its development, and disease processes.  Dr. Mark Humayun is the Director of the Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics and Co-Director of the Roski Eye Institute at the University of Southern California.  Dr. Anand Swaroop is a Senior Investigator in the Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory at the National Eye Institute, and Dr. Masayo Takahashi is a pioneer in iPS-based approaches to treat eye disease and the President of Vision Care Inc., a venture that will focus on cell-based treatments for macular degeneration and other eye diseases. Today’s guests will talk about their respective research and where the field of regenerative medicine for eye disease currently stands and where it is headed. Articles from the guests can be found below in the “Supporting Docs” as is the Virtual Collection of eye-focused papers recently published in Stem Cell Reports.  GuestsMark Humayun, MD, PhD, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA Anand Swaroop, PhD, National Institutes of Health, USA Masayo Takahashi, MD, PhD, Vision Care Inc., Japan HostMartin Pera, PhD – Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXSupporting DocumentsSurvival of an HLA-mismatched, bioengineered RPE implant in dry age-related macular degeneration, Stem Cell Reports Gene therapy of dominant CRX-Leber Congenital Amaurosis using patient derived Retinal Organoids, Stem Cell Reports Stem cells in translation: Eye disease, Stem Cell Reports Virtual Collection  About Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith nearly 4,000 members from more than 65 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.Twitter: @ISSCRAcknowledgementsISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen SnitkoffMusic@Konovalov

In this episode of The Stem Cell Report, Martin Pera is joined by Douglas Melton, a pioneer in the use of stem cell-based transplants to treat Type 1 diabetes, and Nayara Leite, a former postdoc in the Melton laboratory who now works for Vertex Pharmaceuticals, one of the companies currently testing stem cell-derived transplants for diabetes in clinical trials. Drs. Melton and Leite will talk about the concepts and issues around stem cell-based treatments for diabetes and their new paper that looks at ways to enhance the survival and function of the insulin producing islets.GuestsDouglas Melton, PhD, Harvard University  Nayara Leite, PhD, Vertex PharmaceuticalsHostMartin Pera, PhD – Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXRead Their PaperGenetic manipulation of stress pathways can protect stem-cell-derived islets from apoptosis in vitroAbout Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith nearly 4,000 members from more than 65 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.Twitter: @ISSCRAcknowledgementISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerBethany Almon, Senior Manager of Integrated MarketingYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen SnitkoffMusic@Konovalov

In this episode of the Stem Cell Report, Martin Pera is joined by a team of scientists from the Neural Stem Cell Institute in Rensselaer, NY, USA.  Drs. Elizabeth Fisher, Xiuli Zhao, and Institute Director Sally Temple talk about their new paper on neural stem and progenitor cell function in the aging adult brain. They use live time-lapse imaging with computer-based image analysis to assess young and aged neural stem and progenitor cells in 3D brain structures to assess the mechanism underlying changes to the aging brain. GuestsSally Temple, PhD, Neural Stem Cell Institute Xiuli Zhao MD, PhD, Neural Stem Cell Institute Elizabeth Fisher, PhD, Neural Stem Cell Institute HostMartin Pera, PhD – Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXRead Their Paper4D imaging analysis of the aging mouse neural stem cell niche reveals a dramatic loss of progenitor cell dynamism regulated by the RHO-ROCK pathway About Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith nearly 4,000 members from more than 65 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.Twitter: @ISSCRAcknowledgementISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerBethany Almon, Senior Manager of Integrated MarketingYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Scientific AdvisorVoice WorkBen SnitkoffMusic@Konovalov

In this episode, Drs. Shimpei Gotoh, Takahiro Suezawa, and Carla Kim join the podcast to talk about using stem and progenitor cells to understand the adult lung and model disease processes impacting lung function. Their research and discoveries provide insight into lung homeostasis, the potential for regeneration, and understanding diseases like pulmonary fibrosis and cancer.Drs. Gotoh and Suezawa are two of the authors of the recent paper ”Disease modeling of pulmonary fibrosis using human pluripotent stem cell-derived alveolar organoids” in Stem Cell Reports. Dr Kim is a member of the Stem Cell Reports Editorial Board and an expert in the study of progenitors of the adult lung. GuestsShimpei Gotoh, MD, PhD, Kyoto UniversityTakahiro Suezawa, PhD, Kyorin Pharmaceutical CompanyCarla Kim, PhD, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolHostMartin Pera, PhD – Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXSupporting DocumentsDisease modeling of pulmonary fibrosis using human pluripotent stem cell-derived alveolar organoidsAbout Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith nearly 4,000 members from more than 65 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.Twitter: @ISSCRWebsite: https://www.cell.com/stem-cell-reports/homeAcknowledgementISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerBethany Almon, Senior Manager of Integrated MarketingYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Senior Manager of Scientific AffairsVoice WorkBen SnitkoffMusic@Konovalov

In this episode, Drs. Fiona Watt and Alice Vickers join the podcast to talk about uncovering the relationship between genetic variants and cellular behavior. They recently developed a platform to quantify iPSC differentiation propensity to investigate the genetic contribution to phenotypic variability. Drs. Vickers and Watt are authors of the recent paper,  "Plating human iPSC lines on micropatterned substrates relevels role for ITGBI nsSNV in endoderm formation” in Stem Cell Reports.  GuestsFiona Watt, DPhil, Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, King’s College London Website: http://www.wattlab.org/ Alice Vickers, PhD, INKEF Capital, Amsterdam (current affiliation). Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, King’s College London (previous affiliation). Website: https://www.inkefcapital.com Supporting Document ”Plating human iPSC lines on micropatterned substrates relevels role for ITGBI nsSNV in endoderm formation” HostMartin Pera, PhD – Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson LaboratoryTwitter: @martinperaJAXAbout Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith nearly 4,000 members from more than 65 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health. Twitter: @ISSCRAcknowledgementsISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerBethany Almon, Senior Manager of Integrated MarketingYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Senior Manager of Scientific AffairsVoice WorkBen SnitkoffMusic@Konovalov

In this episode Drs. Charles Murry and Kenta Nakamura join the podcast to talk about “cardiac remuscularization therapy,” and the general approach of transplanting human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes to restore cardiac function after injury.GuestsCharles Murry, MD, PhD, University of Washington and Sana BiotechnologyKenta Nakamura, MD, University of Washington and VA Puget Sound Healthcare System HostMartin Pera, PhD – Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson Laboratory Twitter: @martinperaJAXSupporting DocumentDrs. Murry and Nakamura are two of the authors of the recent paper ” Pharmacologic therapy for engraftment arrhythmia induced by transplantation of human cardiomyocytes” in Stem Cell Reports.  About Stem Cell ReportsStem Cell Reports is the Open Access journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.Twitter: @StemCellReportsAbout ISSCRWith nearly 4,000 members from more than 65 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.Twitter: @ISSCRWebsite: https://www.cell.com/stem-cell-reports/homeAcknowledgementISSCR StaffKeith Alm, Chief Executive OfficerBethany Almon, Senior Manager of Integrated MarketingYvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell ReportsKym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic CommunicationsJack Mosher, Senior Manager of Scientific AffairsVoice WorkBen SnitkoffMusic@Konovalov