Stem Cells

A new $6.9 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) will support preclinical development of an investigational cell therapy for the heart created by USC Stem Cell scientists.

Researchers found that the gene preserves bone stem cell supply throughout life, and say the discovery advances understanding of stem cell biology and could indicate potential therapeutic approaches to improve bone healing and regeneration in aging and disease. The post Gene That Preserves Bone Stem Cell Supply Throughout Life Identified appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Researchers at City of Hope®, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the country, and collaborators have pioneered a new approach to preventing dangerous bloodstream infections in patients receiving donor stem cell transplants for blood cancers.

Researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the HI-STEM Stem Cell Institute have discovered a group of particularly long-lived blood stem cells in mice. These cells remain in a dormant state for an exceptionally long time while retaining their ability to generate new blood cells. This newly discovered cell population may be responsible for sustaining blood regeneration and immune defense throughout a mouse's entire life.

Cells are very particular about the proper locations of their contents. For example, DNA is packaged in the nucleus in a highly specific way, but researchers are still trying to understand how this happens. For stem cells in the brain of a larval fruit fly—a model organism used to study processes such as early development—the DNA is organized so that the center of each strand, called the centromere, is at the top of the nucleus.

An international study reports 60% progression-free survival at 10 years after autologous bone marrow transplantation, adding important evidence on sustained positive clinical outcomes and long-term safety in patients treated for early severe systemic sclerosis.

Stem cell therapies involve a stage of expansion of cells in culture prior to injecting them into the patient. The research community has realized that both the state of the original source cells and small variations in the subsequent cell culture environment can result in large differences in the quality of the transplanted cells. For example, how many of the cells in the culture have become senescent, and are thus now generating pro-inflammatory signals. There are other possible variations in cell state that could contribute negatively to outcomes, diminishing any benefits resulting from the therapy, however. Differences in cell state and behavior may be the cause of much of the well-known and undesirable variability of outcomes in stem cell therapy. Some clinics may have started […]

How can the identity of pluripotent stem cells be determined more reliably during their differentiation? Researchers from the IUF—Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine and Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf have systematically validated marker genes for this purpose and developed a web-based application for the automated classification of early cell fates. The study has been published in Stem Cell Reports.

Current Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards for cell therapies assess identity, viability, sterility, and genetic stability. For extracellular vesicle (EV) products, Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles (MISEV2023) guidance adds particle size, concentration, markers, morphology, contaminants, endotoxin, and assays.

Researchers here assess the present animal study evidence for first generation stem cell therapies to produce benefits in the most common neurodegenerative conditions, and also the consequences of stroke. The results are promising. While these therapies have been fairly widely deployed in patients via medical tourism, that data will never be available for analysis in any useful way. A few formal clinical trials have taken place, with unfortunately mixed results, which suggests that the details of manufacturing process, source of cells, and other logistical factors are important to outcomes. In general, these stem cell therapies appear to reliably modulate chronic inflammation, but all other desired outcomes are quite unreliable where they have been assessed rigorously in human patients. This is one of the reasons why […]

For a long time, differences between females and males were mainly associated with the reproductive organs. Yet organs that have nothing to do with reproduction, such as the skin, can also be shaped by sex.

Since stem cell therapies produce beneficial effects via a short burst of signaling from the transplanted cells rather than via any long-lasting survival and engraftment of those cells, researchers are attempting to build therapies that deliver the signals instead of the cells. Manufacture involves culturing stem cells and harvesting the culture medium in order to obtain the molecules or extracellular vesicles secreted by the stem cells, and then introducing that material into patients. The signaling produced by different stem cell populations will likely prove to be more versus less useful in different contexts, and so some experimentation is needed. Here, researchers show that the secreted signals generated by dental pulp stem cells help to improve the outcome following stroke in mice. Ischemic stroke induces oxidative […]

Gene therapies are used to treat many different blood disorders. However, blood stem cells often fail to achieve their full potential after transplantation.

Dental follicle stem cells can be used as a basis for regenerative cell therapy in the treatment of periodontitis, the prevalent form of gum disease, and a condition that becomes more common with age. Researchers here note that IGFBP5 expression is reduced in senescent dental follicle stem cells, and find that increased expression of IGFBP5 reduces the pace at which these cells become senescent. Cellular senescence in the cultured cells used in cell therapy is a problem that the regenerative medicine community is becoming increasingly aware of, and various efforts have been made in various contexts to try to mitigate the issue. Here, researchers employ this new knowledge regarding the role of IGFBP5 to design a better cell therapy to promote periodontal regeneration, and carry […]

Researchers at the Leibniz Institute on Aging—Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena and the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg in Senftenberg have identified a previously unknown regulator of muscle stem cell differentiation.

Ischemic stroke can leave lasting neurological damage after the initial vascular event, with oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, neuronal death, and disruption of neural connectivity contributing to impaired recovery.

In early 2024, laboratory-grown neurospheres (i.e. clusters of neural stem cells) were sent to the International Space Station (ISS) to be exposed to microgravity. The return trip was delayed several times due to bad weather in the landing zone. As a result, the cells were outside controlled culture conditions for longer than anticipated—beyond the limit of what they were expected to survive.

Chronic exposure to cigarette smoke may reprogram different populations of lung stem cells, which maintain and repair lung tissue, in ways that make them vulnerable to specific cancer-causing gene alterations and ultimately helps determine the type of lung cancer that develops.

A research team led by Associate Professor Yohei Funakoshi, Associate Professor Kimikazu Yakushijin, and Professor Hironobu Minami of the Division of Medical Oncology/Hematology at Kobe University Hospital, together with Associate Professor Goh Ohji of the Division of Infectious Disease Therapeutics and Takaji Matsutani of Anymics Inc., has developed the pGen-SHM plot.

Researchers developed a method for testing how closely lab-grown blastoid models resemble real human embryos, finding that while some models perform well, none fully captures the complexity of early human development. The post A Method for Assessing Lab-Grown Stem Cell-Derived Embryo Models appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Any sufficiently complex biological data that changes with age can be used to construct an aging clock. Here, researchers report on a clock derived from images of the nuclei of hematopoietic stem cells. Nuclear DNA exhibits structural changes in response to circumstances, regulated by epigenetic decorations to DNA and its supporting proteins, as regions unfold or are compacted. The structure of DNA determines which gene sequences are exposed to translation machinery, and thus whether or not a given gene is expressed. Some of these structural changes are characteristic of aging, and thus machine learning approaches should be able to visualize age-related differences in imaging. The functional decline of the hematopoietic system during aging affects organismal function and contributes to reduced healthspan. Quantifying hematopoietic aging holds […]

High-risk MDS stem cells appear to have an unexpected “energy addiction,” relying far more heavily than healthy blood-forming cells on a molecule called NAD. Disrupting this energy pathway selectively weakened the cancer-driving cells, revealing a potential new target for treatment.

First generation stem cell therapies have become widespread; they are readily accessed in medical tourism clinics, and are also available for a range of issues in more regulated parts of the world. Initially it was hoped that transplanted cells would engraft and survive to assist tissues in repair and regeneration, but it has become clear that this is not how the therapies produce benefits. Rather it is a matter of signals generated by the transplanted cells in the short time they survive that beneficially alter the behavior of native cells. Unfortunately, while effects such as months-long suppression of chronic inflammation are fairly reliable, other hoped for improvements such as the stimulation of greater regeneration or regression of disease remain highly unreliable outcomes. One might ask […]

Extreme dry mouth, caused by radiation used to treat cancer and by autoimmune diseases such as Sjögren's disease, radically affects quality of life for sufferers. It can hamper speaking, swallowing and eating, and for years has seemed an intractable problem.

Airway stem cell transplantation achieves functional restoration and long-term engraftment in preclinical models, promising new opportunities for patients without gene-targeted options.

Scientists have discovered a stem cell that appears to serve as a master source for tendon and ligament cells throughout the body. In lumbar spinal stenosis, these cells become unusually active and may drive the ligament overgrowth that squeezes spinal nerves and causes pain, numbness, and difficulty walking. Researchers found that reducing calcium signaling stopped this abnormal growth in mice.

Aging progressively affects the functioning of our body and, among other things, deteriorates the ability of the hematopoietic system- the set of organs and tissues responsible for producing blood cells- to maintain adequate blood cell production.

Stem cell transplants helped regenerate stroke-damaged brain tissue in mice, producing new neurons and restoring lost motor function. The treatment also improved blood vessels, inflammation, and the blood-brain barrier, raising hopes that a similar approach could eventually help repair the human brain after stroke.

People with a progressive genetic eye disorder see more clearly after receiving engineered grafts that repair the damaged surfaces of their eyes, offering a glimpse at what future treatments could hold.

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Hospital for Special Surgery have discovered the stem cells—unspecialized cells that can develop into specific cell types—that give rise to the body's tendons and ligaments, the tissues connecting muscles and bones.

As the human brain takes shape before birth, a remarkable type of stem cell helps give it many of the features that make it distinctly human.

Unauthorized stem cell treatment may expose patients to medical and financial risks, reinforcing the role of physicians in counseling those considering such treatment abroad.

Cultivated meat aims to produce meat from animal cells in the laboratory without needing to raise a living animal for meat production. It has been proposed as a potentially more sustainable alternative to conventional meat production. Yet recreating something as complex as a steak—rather than minced meat—remains a major scientific challenge.

Researchers at the Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM) at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University (BU) have developed a scalable method for generating CD4+ helper T cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), overcoming a longstanding challenge in the development of stem cell-based immunotherapies.

A research team from Tel Aviv University and the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (IPF), led by Ayala Lampel and Carsten Werner, has developed a peptide-glycosaminoglycan hydrogel system that creates a programmable niche for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). The system mimics key biochemical and mechanical cues of the bone marrow microenvironment, enabling researchers to investigate how these signals influence stem cell behavior.

Stem cells possess the unique ability to self-renew and transform into different types of cells. For example, rare hematopoietic stem cells found in bone marrow can become any type of blood cell.

First generation stem cell therapies that use a variety of cell sources and protocols are widely used in the medical tourism industry. A more limited set of such therapies are used in more regulated medical systems. The aspirational goal in the field of stem cell medicine is to induce regeneration of aged and damaged tissues to improve function, but this outcome remains unreliable. Stem cell therapies can fairly reliably produce a reduction in chronic inflammation for a period of months, however. Even so, results vary widely from patient to patient and clinic to clinic; standardization remains a challenge, perhaps in large part due to the sensitivity of cells to small differences in how they are cultured. The degree to which stem cells in culture become […]

In a landmark moment for both the treatment of heart disease and philanthropic support, The Marcus Foundation has awarded the head of USC Stem Cell Center, Chuck Murry, MD, PhD, $28.7 million to advance a clinical trial testing a stem cell-based therapy designed to regenerate damaged tissue after a heart attack.

Stem cell therapies have expanded rapidly, with more than 115 clinical trials involving over 1,200 patients approved by late 2024. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Ryoncil (remestemcel‑L) for children with steroid‑refractory acute graft‑versus‑host disease, signaling a major shift toward routine clinical use.

Technically, even very small effects can be classed as rejuvenation if they move the right markers, if they in some way reduce the burden of damage and dysfunction of aging. Exercise probably rejuvenates to some degree, by any reasonable definition. Yet we know the bounds of the possible when it comes to exercise and other widely used interventions, and the outcomes are nowhere near as large as we would like. Fit people are still aging to death, and end up frail in the later stages of life. In the matter of restoring lost function to the hematopoietic stem cell populations of the bone marrow that are responsible for generating the cells that make up the immune system, there are a number of interventions that have […]

Researchers evaluate the impact of allogeneic stem cell transplantation in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia across BLAST and BLAST-Mol clinical risk models.

Growth impairment is a common late effect of childhood stem cell transplantation. A Japan-wide study found that growth hormone therapy improves adult height, but prior radiation therapy and transplant-related complications negatively affect how much children benefit.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) affects more than 1 in 10 people over 40 years of age, impairing patients' mobility and quality of life.

Scientists are shedding new light on a little-known biological system that could help unlock the full potential of stem cell therapy, one of the most promising areas of modern medicine.

The cerebral cortex is densely packed with different nerve cells that enable us to perceive, think and act. Yet how these cell types arise while the brain develops is still not fully understood.

Among patients with primary CNS lymphoma who respond to induction therapy, high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant improves survival compared with nonmyeloablative chemotherapy.

As spirometry requires coordinated deep breathing and can be challenging for children to perform, researchers from the USA, as part of the TRANSPIRE study investigating lung complications in children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), explored the potential of oscillometry, a simple and child-friendly lung function test.

Nature is the foremost international weekly scientific journal in the world and is the flagship journal for Nature Portfolio. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature publishes landmark papers, award winning news, leading comment and expert opinion on important, topical scientific news and events that enable readers to share the latest discoveries in science and evolve the discussion amongst the global scientific community.

A protein best known for protecting the ends of chromosomes also helps muscle stem cells preserve their identity and repair damaged tissue, according to a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Diabetic foot ulcers are among the most serious complications of diabetes because prolonged inflammation, poor circulation, and defective angiogenesis can leave wounds open for months and increase the risk of infection and amputation.

In many animal tissues, stem cells continually divide to create new cells that replace old or damaged ones. However, this capacity requires strict regulation, as uncontrolled stem cell proliferation can disrupt tissue homeostasis and contribute to tumorigenesis.

In many animal tissues, stem cells continually divide to create new cells that replace old or damaged ones. However, this capacity requires strict regulation, as uncontrolled stem cell proliferation can disrupt tissue homeostasis and contribute to tumorigenesis.

Researchers aim to evaluate the effectiveness of ASCT as consolidation therapy for patients with advanced-stage natural killer/T-cell lymphoma who have attained their first complete remission.

Stem cell-derived dopamine cell transplantation appears feasible and may reduce medication needs in PD, but longer follow-up is needed to establish its clinical benefit and long-term safety.

Sickle cell disease causes premature aging of blood stem cells, which scientists may be able to address with a special class of drugs, according to a new study from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Blood transfusions are crucial in human and veterinary medicine, yet human blood reserves are in constant need of donors, while blood bank systems in veterinary care are nearly nonexistent. This leaves canine transfusions largely reliant on donations from healthy dogs, but securing compatible blood remains a major challenge because dogs also have different blood types.

A team led by bioengineers at the University of California San Diego has developed a genome-scale reference map that details how individual genes control the functions and identities of human stem cells.

A team led by bioengineers at the University of California San Diego has developed a genome-scale reference map that details how individual genes control the functions and identities of human stem cells. This open-access resource could help researchers build virtual cell models for complex diseases, as well as design patient-specific treatments for these diseases.

Mapping the human kidney, researchers discovered an unrecognized developmental axis and engineered “synthetic organizer” cells to recreate key

New research presented today at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2026 Annual Meeting explores an approach that could expand the potential of cell replacement therapy for type 1 diabetes by evaluating whether immune-engineered, allogeneic insulin-producing cells can survive and function without chronic immunosuppression.

New research presented today at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2026 Annual Meeting highlights a significant step toward developing a stem cell-based treatment for chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), a condition for which no effective restorative therapy currently exists.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) today announced the presentation of new clinical data from the STEM-PD Phase I/II clinical trial at the ISSCR 2026 Annual Meeting.

One year findings from Phase I/II clinical study support the feasibility of transplanting stem-cell derived dopamine progenitor cells into the brain of Parkinson’s disease patients. The post Stem Cell Therapy Shows Promise in First Human Parkinson’s Disease Trial appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, yet once damaged, it cannot regenerate naturally.

A landmark study led from Lund, Sweden, has shown that transplanting stem-cell derived dopamine progenitor cells into the brain is feasible.

An update on the first clinical trial evaluating a pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cell therapy for Huntington's disease was presented today at the ISSCR 2026 Annual Meeting.

Researchers developed an epitope editing strategy to make donated stem cells invisible to pre-transplant antibody therapy, offering up a new approach that could make antibodies a less toxic alternative to chemotherapy for selectively clearing the patient’s existing stem cells from the bone marrow. The post Epitope Editing Strategy Could Enable Less Toxic Stem Cell Transplants appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Stem cell transplantation (also called bone marrow transplantation) and gene therapy are among the most powerful curative approaches for blood diseases such as sickle cell disease, b-thalassemia, immune deficiencies, and some blood cancers.

The retina is considered a part of the central nervous system. As is the case for the brain, a barrier of specialized cells surrounding the blood vessels supplying retinal tissue controls the passage of molecules between blood and tissues. This barrier becomes dysfunctional with age and age-related conditions, and leaks inappropriate molecules into retinal tissue to cause further damage and dysfunction. Again, this is very analogous to barrier dysfunction in the brain, and is thought to be a major contributing factor in age-related neurodegeneration and consequent degenerative conditions. One of the approaches under development for the treatment of damaged retinal tissue, such as in the context of macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy, is to produce new cells that can replace dead or dysfunctional cells, or […]

The growth in number of senescent cells with age is an important mechanism of degenerative aging. Many studies in mice have demonstrated rapid rejuvenation and reversal of many different aspects of aging and age-related conditions via selective destruction of senescent cells in aged tissues. Here, researchers review what is known of the way in which the age-related expansion of the senescent state in cell populations impedes stem cell function in older individuals. Stem cells support tissues by generating a supply of daughter somatic cells to replace losses, as well as via signaling that is important to regenerative capacity. As stem cell activity declines so too does tissue function and health. Several cellular settings have been identified where senescence induction seems to exclude stem cell activity, […]

Using techniques including spatial transcriptomics, researchers identified a developmental axis that helps organize developing kidney nephrons, and engineered Wnt-secreting “synthetic organizer” cells to recreate aspects of this developmental environment in organoids created from stem cells. The post Synthetic Organizers Aid Creation of Reproducible Kidney Organoids from Stem Cells appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Hematopoietic cell populations reside in the bone marrow. A tree of ever more specialized progenitor cell populations descends from the root hematopoietic stem cell population, responsible for ultimately producing red blood cells and white blood cells. Hematopoietic stem cell populations are known to become damaged and dysfunction with age, and this is one of the contributions to immune system dysfunction in later life. It also produces effects such as platelets that are more prone to causing inappropriate clotting and thrombosis. Here, researchers provide evidence to suggest that the intermediate hematopoietic progenitor cell populations are much less impacted by aging than is the case for hematopoietic stem cells, and might be buffering the loss of stem cell function to allow for maintained hematopoietic function. It is […]

When a patient needs a stem cell transplant, finding a registered donor is only the first step. Some potential donors drop out before confirmatory typing, reducing the pool from which doctors can choose.

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to grow specialized blood vessel cells critical to retinal health for the first time.

Researchers here review the state of stem cell therapies for the treatment of age-related degenerative conditions, with particular attention to more recently emerged areas of the field such as efforts to rejuvenate old patient-derived stem cells before their use in therapy. Partial epigenetic reprogramming is not much mentioned in this context as, unlike the use of senolytics, it has not yet advanced to the point of ease of use for the average stem cell clinic. Treating a stem cell culture with cheap and well-established senolytic compounds is very much more feasible in comparison to the time, expertise, and expense needed to safely and reliably partially reprogram cells in that same culture. Rejuvenation strategies for ageing stem cells focus on restoring their regenerative capabilities, which decline […]

On a YouTube livestream, Berkeley City College students carefully study the movements of stem cells to observe what they do as they become neurons: Are they moving, growing or forming new connections with other neurons?

UCI Health has launched the world’s first human clinical trial using embryonic stem cell-derived neural cells for Huntington’s disease, testing MRI-guided surgical brain delivery to evaluate safety and early therapeutic potential. The post First-in-Human Stem Cell Therapy Trial for Huntington’s Disease Begins at UCI Health appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

As more than 100 clinical trials test human pluripotent stem cell-derived therapies, researchers are shifting focus from proving large-scale production is possible to building standardized, AI-enabled manufacturing systems capable of delivering consistent, clinically compliant cell products. The post Scaling Stem-Cell Manufacturing for Therapies appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

UCI Health, the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine, has opened the world's first in-human embryonic stem cell-derived clinical trial for Huntington's disease.

Senescent cells accumulate with age, a situation that appears more a result of the aging immune system failing to achieve timely clearance of newly senescent cells rather than a significant increase in the pace at which cells become senescent. Senescence occurs in response to cellular damage and stress, but also when somatic cells reach the Hayflick limit on replication. A senescent cell becomes larger, ceases replication, and devotes its energies to the secretion of pro-growth, pro-inflammatory signals. In the short term and in youth this is usually beneficial, helping to coordinate tissue maintenance, regeneration, and suppression of potentially cancerous cells. When sustained for the long term, the signaling of senescent cells is disruptive to tissue structure and function, however, contributing to the damaging chronic inflammation […]

Two people were the first to receive the therapy for a condition that damages the spinal cord and optic nerve

Nature is the foremost international weekly scientific journal in the world and is the flagship journal for Nature Portfolio. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature publishes landmark papers, award winning news, leading comment and expert opinion on important, topical scientific news and events that enable readers to share the latest discoveries in science and evolve the discussion amongst the global scientific community.

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant at experienced centers in the current era can include indefinite disease control with low relative risk, a new update suggests.

TUESDAY, June 9, 2026 — Elizabeth Bonker is a silent woman with a loud mission. She wants government agencies to cover the costs of training people with autism in a form of communication called assisted spelling. One problem: Leading professional...

Similar to the way DNA damage can contribute to human diseases such as cancer, it can also disrupt growth, development and survival in plants. Every day, plants endure environmental stresses such as sunlight, radiation, drought and soil stress—all of which can damage their DNA. However, they cannot move away from danger. How do plants handle all that damage?

A group of researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) has recently developed a new stem cell therapy with a remarkable ability to reverse new-onset Type 1 diabetes (T1D) in a mouse model of the disease.

Stem cell transplantation is the most cost-effective option for long-term care of sickle cell disease in adults when compared with gene therapy and standard of care treatment, according to new research published in Blood.

Spinal cord injuries can have devastating consequences for those affected. Nerve cells in the spinal cord rarely regenerate naturally, while scarring often prevents the regrowth of nerve fibers. Modern therapies attempt to influence implanted stem cells using electrical stimulation to promote the growth of new nerve cells. This approach has several drawbacks: it requires implanted electrodes, and the transplanted cells do not always survive or integrate properly into the existing tissue.