Angela C. H. McDonald
Angela is a PhD student in the Stem Cell and Developmental Biology program at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. She is currently utilizing pluripotent stem cells to understand the genetic regulation of endoderm development. As an avid supporter of public science education, she co-founded the high school outreach initiative StemCellTalks sits on numerous public education committees including the International Society for Stem Cell Research Public Education Committee and the Stem Cell Network Public Outreach Committee.
Posts by: Angela
Good start to the year for umbilical cord blood stem cells
In 1988, the first umbilical cord hematopoietic stem cell transplant was conducted and since that time, over 20,000 umbilical cord blood transplants have been reported around the world. The technique offers several advantages over bone marrow in the treatment of blood disorders including noninvasive accessibility to umbilical cord blood as well as decreased graft versus […]
Good news for hESC trials: transplanted human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium… and it’s safe!
As has been reported broadly this week, transplantation of human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells appears to be safe in human patients, and it may even be efficacious (although this can only be confirmed via a Phase II trial). Advanced Cell Technology (of California) published a preliminary clinical report of their Phase I […]
The apple of a bioengineer’s eye: mature photoreceptors
Last spring, I wrote about the remarkable generation of self-organizing retinal tissue created from mouse embryonic stem cells. The study successfully created all major retinal components including photoreceptors, albeit at a low abundance. However, while multi-layered optic tissue did form, the alignment and organization of mature retinal cell types differed from that of the mouse […]
Unsolved mysteries in the intestinal crypt
The intestine is an amazing organ. In fact, when I am not reading research related to my thesis, I read about the stem cell population that maintains our gut, the intestinal stem cells (ISCs). And sometimes, the reading reveals most unusual mysteries. ISCs have their work cut out for them. They must renew the lining […]
Finances halt first-ever FDA approved human embryonic stem cell clinical trial
The stem cell community was shocked to hear Geron Corporation’s announcement on Monday that the company will immediately discontinue its stem cell programs including its much-publicized Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of spinal cord injury. Following a strategic review of costs and regulatory hurdles involved with their stem cell program, Geron has decided […]
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