April 5, 2017 Stem cell differentiation can now be seen thanks to a combination of machine learning and microfabrication techniques developed by scientists at the RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center in Japan. The results, published in PLOS One, followed the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) which are easily obtained from adult bone marrow. MSCs have proven to be important for regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy because they can potentially repair many different types of organ damage, as they have the ability to differentiate into various cell types including bone, muscle and fat. Depending on the way the cells are grown the results can be quite different and so controlling differentiation is an important goal. Observing MSC differentiation under different conditions is an essential step in understanding how to control the process. However, this has proved challenging on two fronts. First, the physical space in which the cells are grown has a dramatic impact on the results, causing significant variation in the types of cells into which they differentiate. Studying this effect requires consistent and long lasting spatial confinement. Second, classifying the cell types which have developed through manual observation is time consuming. Previous studies have confined cell growth … Continue reading →

No two stem cells are identical, even if they are genetic clones. This stunning diversity is revealed today in an enormous publicly available online catalogue of 3D stem cell images. The visuals were produced using deep learning analyses and cell lines altered with the gene-editing tool CRISPR. And soon the portal will allow researchers to predict variations in cell layouts that may foreshadow cancer and other diseases. The Allen Cell Explorer, produced by the Allen Institute for Cell Science in Seattle, Washington, includes a growing library of more than 6,000 pictures of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) key components of which glow thanks to fluorescent markers that highlight specific genes. The Cell Explorer complements ongoing projects by several groups that chart the uniqueness of single cells at the level of DNA, RNA and proteins. Rick Horwitz, director of the Allen Institute for Cell Science, says that the institutes images may hasten progress in stem cell research, cancer research and drug development by revealing unexpected aspects of cellular structure. You cant predict the outcome of a football game if you know stats on all the players but have never watched a game. The project began about a year ago with adult … Continue reading →

The always-popular Teach-In lecture series returns to UC Santa Cruzs Alumni Weekend this year, with button-pushing presentations about the role of the humanities in a "post-truth" world and the intriguing potentials of stem cell research. The students in both classes can bring their intellectual curiosity but leave those exam booklets behind. This series will be one of the many highlights of Alumni Weekend festivities, which take place April 2830. Those who wish to attend this fun-filled weekend may register here. There is no need to cram all night beforehand for these Teach-Ins. Just show up and enjoy. But be prepared with a couple of questions to ask. This will guarantee a lively and far-ranging discussion. In the past, Teach-Ins were held simultaneously; returning Slugs wished they could have taken a class that would teach them how to clone themselves so they could attend all the talks. But this year, the lectures are being held at different times at Stevenson College, meaning that it is technically possible to attend both lecturesproviding that you register in advance to guarantee your spot. The Teach-In lectures kick off on Saturday, April 29, at 1 p.m., at Stevenson College, room 150, with Rejuvenate Now: Stem … Continue reading →

WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Frequency Therapeutics, a company spearheading the movement to restore hearing by harnessing the regenerative potential of progenitor cells in the body, today announced that Chris Loose, Ph.D., the Companys Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, will be presenting at the 14th Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine Conference. The presentation titled, Progenitor Cell Activation - an Enabling Technology for In-Situ Tissue Regeneration, will look to explore the companys proprietary Progenitor Cell Activation (PCA) platform, founded on recent discoveries in progenitor cell biology by Bob Langer, Sc.D. at MIT and Jeff Karp, Ph.D., at Harvard. PCA is leading to a new class of drugs that regenerate healthy tissue within the body. The presentation will take place on Wednesday, April 5 at 4:50 p.m. The conference is being held from April 5 to 6 in Boston, MA. The biology, chemistry and regenerative properties behind our PCA platform is quite exciting and has the potential to yield a whole new category of disease-modifying therapeutics for a wide range of degenerative conditions, said Dr. Loose. Our lead program is focused on the over 360 million people worldwide who suffer from hearing impairment, with no effective therapeutic solutions currently available. By targeting cellular regeneration … Continue reading →