Guest: In this episode, we bring you Drs. Rick Horwitz and Graham Johnson from the Allen Institute for Cell Sciences. They discuss the Allen Cell Explorer, a 3-D cell library created using induced pluripotent stem cells. Featured Resource: STEMdiff™ Trilineage Differentiation Kit Resources and Links A March for Science Happened – Scientists had to engage and take their demands to political leaders and policymakers, so they stood for hours on a sodden National Mall and then marched through puddle...
May 09, 2017•1 hr 13 min
Guest: Dr. Alysson Muotri is a Professor at the School of Medicine, University of California in San Diego. His research focuses on modeling neurological diseases, such as Autism Spectrum Disorders, using human induced pluripotent stem cells. His lab has developed several techniques to culture human neurons and glia for basic research and drug-screening platforms. Most recently he and his group published a paper reporting the first cellular model of anorexia nervosa, reprogramming induced pluripo...
Apr 25, 2017•1 hr 10 min
Guest: Dr. Fabio Rossi is a Professor at the Department of Medical Genetics and Director of Biomedical Research Centre at the University of British Columbia. He joins us to discuss the role of mesenchymal stem cells in regeneration and fibrosis in vivo. Featured Resource: CloneR™ Defined Supplement for Single-Cell Cloning of Human ES and iPS Cells Resources and Links New Steel Modeled After Bones – A new type of steel mimics bone to make the metal more resistant to failure. The First Fluorescent...
Apr 11, 2017•1 hr 28 min
Guest: For this episode’s interview, we bring on Dr. Shawn Hingtgen, Assistant Professor at the Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics at UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and Dr. Matthew G. Ewend, Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at UNC School of Medicine. Dr. Hingtgen’s research focuses on utilizing molecular imaging to characterize and validate novel stem cell-based targeted therapeutics for treatment of highly aggressive brain cancers. Most recently, Hingtgen and Ewend published a paper...
Mar 28, 2017•1 hr 21 min
Guest: For this episode’s interview, we bring on Dr. Justin Lathia, Assistant Professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Lathia’s research focus is on how stem cell programs drive tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. Most recently his group published a paper in Cell Stem Cell, describing a novel method on how stem cells in brain tumors evade immune signals around them. Featured Resource: Sample Request: NeuroCul...
Mar 14, 2017•1 hr 13 min
Guest: For this episode, we bring on Dr. Jun Wu, a Staff Scientist in the lab of Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte at the Salk Institute. Dr. Wu will discuss his latest work published in Cell on human-pig chimeras. Featured Resource: Wallchart: Stem Cell States - Naive to Primed Pluripotency Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Jun Wu Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe...
Feb 28, 2017•55 min
Guest: Dr. Christopher Park is an Associate Professor and Director of Pathology Education and Translational Research at the NYU Langone Medical center. His lab is currently looking at new ways to combat blood cancers like leukemia by attacking and destroying the blood stem cells. In this episode, Dr. Park discusses his lab’s work and the details of their most recent publication in Science Translational Medicine. Featured Resource: Hematopoiesis Hub: Culture Your Expertise in Hematopoiesis with U...
Feb 14, 2017•1 hr 13 min
Guest: Dr. Deepak Lamba is an Assistant Professor at the Buck Institute. His research is focused on identifying new methods to treat degenerative vision disorders, including macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa, using stem cell technology. His work is considered pioneering amongst those focused on developing efficient methods of making retinal cells in a laboratory dish. Featured Resource: Neural Stem Cells Wallchart Resources and Links Rumours Swirl about Trump’s Science Adviser Pick –...
Jan 31, 2017•1 hr 8 min
Guest: Dr. Hongjun Song is a Director of the Stem Cell Program at John Hopkins University. The research in the Song laboratory focuses on understanding mechanisms regulating neural stem cells and neurogenesis in the mammalian brain. He recently published a review regarding Zika virus, what’s known, how stem cells can help and we talk with him about this topic and more. Featured Resource: Neural Stem Cells Wallchart Resources and Links Cancer Death Rates Fall as Prevention, Treatment Advance – De...
Jan 17, 2017•1 hr 15 min
Guest: For the interview portion of the show, we talk to our very own Dr. Daylon James. In addition to hosting the Stem Cell Podcast, Daylon is an Assistant Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City where he uses stem cells as a tool to investigate cardiovascular and reproductive disorders. Resources and Links World Health Organisation Declares a Public Emergency of International Concern Over Zika – World Health Organization declared the Zika virus and its suspected link to bir...
Jan 03, 2017•1 hr 19 min
Guest: Dr. Eggan is a Professor in the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University. On this show he joins us, along with a post-doctoral fellow from his lab, Dr. Michael Wells, to discuss their latest publication on investigating mechanisms of infection in Zika virus. Resources and Links Microcephaly Cases Surge in Colombia following Rise in Zika Infections – Colombia saw a surge on 2016 in babies with microcephaly — more than four times the number reported in the previo...
Dec 20, 2016•1 hr 15 min
Guest: Dr. Jen Adair, assistant member of the clinical research division at the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, and Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Adair's group investigates retrovirus-based gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells as a viable treatment for genetic, malignant and infectious diseases. Resources and Links Dogs Form Memories of Experiences – This article suggests that dogs possess some version of episodic memory, wh...
Dec 06, 2016•1 hr 12 min
Guest: Dr. Alpa Mahuvakar Trivedi, a molecular biologist in the Department of Neurosurgery at University California, San Francisco, joins us in this episode. Alpa and her team have recently published a paper on generating neural cells from stem cells to help pain and bladder function after spinal cord injury. Resources and Links What Does Trump Win Mean for US Science? – This article reports that many scientists have been laying out their concerns about the future of the US research community un...
Nov 22, 2016•1 hr 9 min
Guest: We bring on Mark Post, professor of vascular physiology at the Maastricht University. Dr. Post is an innovator, being the creator of the world’s first lab grown hamburger. Mark’s work has been highlighted in mainstream media and he has given a TEDx talk about his technology and the meat industry. Recently, Mark was back in the news with an announcement that the cost of these stem cell burgers has significantly come down. Resources and Links Science Textbooks May Need an Update – Textbook ...
Nov 08, 2016•1 hr 2 min
Guest: Michael Halpern, deputy director for the Center of Science and Democracy, discusses the election and how science might be affected. Resources and Links Storing Tomatoes in Refrigerator Affect Their Genes – Science explains why you shouldn't put tomatoes in the fridge. It’s because some of their genes chill out and are altered by cold temperatures, ultimately affecting the flavor. A Clear Difference on Climate Change – This article describes the stark contrast between Hillary Clinton and D...
Oct 25, 2016•1 hr 14 min
Guest: Dr. Stephen Duncan from the University of South Carolina discusses his work on the purification of cell lineages derived from pluripotent stem cells. Resources and Links Japanese Scientist Receives Nobel Prize for Autophagy Work – Yoshinori Ohsumi, a biologist at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, won this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work uncovering how cells break down old materials — a process critical for keeping cells healthy. Measles Eliminated from the Ameri...
Oct 11, 2016•1 hr 11 min
Guest: Dr. Joshua Brickman from the University of Copenhagen discusses his work on stem cells and culture conditions. Professor Brickman’s and his group investigate the basis for transcriptional priming and commitment in embryonic stem cells and early in the specification of the endoderm lineage. Resources and Links Scientists Watch as Bacteria Evolve Antibiotic Resistance – A petri dish more than a meter long helped scientists visualize the evolution of antibiotic resistance in E. coli bacteria...
Sep 27, 2016•1 hr 10 min
Guest: Dr. Shuibing Chen from Weill Cornell Medical College discusses her work on stem cells and diabetes. Resources and Links A Ban on Antibacterial Soap – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned soap products containing 19 active ingredients, including the notorious chemical triclosan, marketed as antiseptics. A New Book all about Cursing? – A cognitive scientist Benjamin Bergen’s new book – What the F – examines the nature of profanity and the implications of obscene words for unders...
Sep 13, 2016•1 hr 10 min
Guest: CEO and Founder of STEMCELL Technologies Inc. Dr. Allen Eaves discusses his transition from a bench scientist to a biotech business man. Resources and Links Tired Parents Don’t Follow Newborn Sleep Guidelines – Babies should be put on their back in an empty crib with firm mattress. Darwin’s Dogs Want Your Dog’s DNA – Darwin’s Dogs, a citizen science project headquartered at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, is looking for good — and bad — dogs to donate DNA. Eat...
Aug 30, 2016•1 hr 11 min
Guest: Dr. Ritchie Ho, a postdoctoral fellow from Cedars-Sinai, joins us with his latest study on an induced pluripotent stem cell in vitro model of ALS. Resources and Links Circadian Clock Influences Young Sunflowers to follow the Sun – Research from University of California, Davis shows how sunflowers use their circadian clock to anticipate the dawn and follow the sun across the sky during the day. Humans Prefer the Gait of Mutant Horses – Researchers examine historic horse remains for the DMR...
Aug 16, 2016•1 hr 8 min
Guest: We bring on professor and researcher Dr. Christine Pratt from the University of Ottawa to discuss her research on breast cancer. Resources and Links 2016 Republican Platform against Embryonic Stem Cell Research and Other Science Issues – Live Science examined the Republican Party’s platform against embryonic stem cell research, climate change, fetal tissue research, and other science issues. US behind in Road Safety – The United States tops 19 other high-income countries on overall death ...
Aug 02, 2016•1 hr 12 min
Guest: Neurologist and researcher Dr. Mark Freedman discusses his research, including a new discovery and treatment for multiple sclerosis using stem cells. Resources and Links Greased Up Head Helps Swordfish Swim Fast – This article reveals that a newly discovered oil-producing organ in the fish’s head gives it slick skin that could boost its speed. Activating Reward May Increase Immune System – Feeling good may help the body fight germs; when activated, nerve cells that help signal reward also...
Jul 19, 2016•1 hr 17 min
Guest: Stem cell researcher and politician Dr. Raj Kittappa to discuss his political expertise as well as his latest research endeavors with stem cells and Parkinson’s disease. Resources and Links Wine Being Made 6300 Years Ago – Researchers have uncorked the oldest solid evidence of grape-based wine making in Europe, and possibly the world, at a site in northern Greece using a new method of analyzing the chemicals in liquids absorbed by clay containers. Scientists Have Gained Insight to Why Mit...
Jul 05, 2016•1 hr 16 min
Guest: Stem cell researcher Dr. Danwei Huangfu discusses her work and latest paper in Cell Stem Cell. Her team used CRISPR technology to genetically manipulate human pluripotent stem cells and induce pancreatic beta cells. Resources and Links FDA Warning about Imodium Ad Overdoses – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that higher-than-recommended doses of the antidiarrheal medicine loperamide, sold under the brand name Imodium, can lead to serious heart problems and even death. Wh...
Jun 21, 2016•58 min
Guest: Stem cell researcher Dr. Kristin Hope discusses her work and latest paper in Nature. Her team examined umbilical cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem cells and the RNA-binding protein musashi-2. Resources and Links Doctors Say Olympics Should Be Postponed or Moved – Doctors and professors are urging the World Health Organization to move or postpone the summer Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro due to the widening Zika outbreak in Brazil. Bacteria Resistant to Last-Resort Antibiotic Appears ...
Jun 07, 2016•1 hr 8 min
Guest: Stem cell researcher and neuroscientist Dr. Su-Chun Zhang discusses his work and latest paper in Cell Stem Cell. His paper looks at grafting human pluripotent stem cells in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Resources and Links Scientists Talk Privately about Creating a Synthetic Human Genome – Scientists are now contemplating the fabrication of a human genome, meaning they would use chemicals to manufacture all the DNA contained in human chromosomes. Second Skin’ May Reduce Wrinkles, ...
May 24, 2016•1 hr 21 min
Guest: Stem cell researcher Dr. Arnold Kriegstein from the University of California, San Francisco to discusses his work and latest paper in Cell Stem Cell on how the Zika virus affects neural stem cells. Resources and Links Zika Is More Dangerous than We Thought – This article describes the danger of Zika virus like microcephaly in children born from women who have had Zika during pregnancy and Guillain-Barre syndrome – a nerve disorder that causes temporary muscle paralysis. Plants Use Prions ...
May 10, 2016•1 hr 24 min
Guest: Stem cell researcher Dr. Kateri Moore from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai discusses her work and latest paper in Developmental Cell. Her paper covers hematopoietic reprogramming in mice. Resources and Links Zika Definitely Causes Severe Birth Defects, CDC Says – A causal relationship exists between prenatal Zika virus infection and microcephaly and other serious brain anomalies. Neural Prosthesis Lets Quadriplegic Man Wiggle Fingers, Flex Wrist, Grasp Items – This article shows t...
Apr 26, 2016•1 hr 5 min
Guest: Stem cell researcher Dr. Joe Zhou from Harvard discusses his work and latest paper in Cell Stem Cell. His research covers beta cells, insulin regulation and organoids. Resources and Links Climate Change to Affect Wine Quality – This article suggests that climate change has fundamentally altered the climatic drivers of early wine grape harvests in France, with possible ramifications for viticulture management and wine quality. Men in US Have Lower Life Expectancies than Other Countries – T...
Apr 12, 2016•1 hr 11 min
Guest: We bring on writer and researcher Dr. Aubrey de Grey to discuss his work on anti-aging. We talk with Dr. de Grey on his latest findings and his ultimate goal of eliminating aging so we call can one day celebrate our 1000th birthday. Resources and Links Sex-Specific Mechanisms of Stress Susceptibility – According to this article, stress-related mental illnesses are twice as prevalent in women as in men. Global Divergence of the Human Follicle Mite Demodex folliculorum: Persistent Associati...
Jan 19, 2016•1 hr
