Right Turn: Don’t go breaking my heart (epigenetics could if it tried)

by Guest | May 8, 2015

. By Camila Londono Camila Londono is currently an intern at CCRM, taking a break from working on her PhD at the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Dr. Alison McGuigan. Her research focuses on...

Stem cells and their children – who inherits what?

by David Kent | May 5, 2015

. One of the most fascinating questions for me, since I entered the field of stem cell biology, has been how a stem cell chooses what to do when it divides. I’ve looked down the microscope at single cells, which look like little air bubbles for the most part, watched...

Right Turn: Are you an entrepreneur at heart?

by Stacey Johnson | May 1, 2015

. So you’ve developed an amazing regenerative medicine device or cell therapy, or you’ve discovered a molecule that you believe could eventually be developed into a drug for awakening stem cells in the body. What’s next? For some scientists, the next step could...

Cracking the code of pancreatic development: beta cells from iPS cells

by Mark Curtis | Apr 28, 2015

. After several years of intense systematic research, and toiling with a differentiation protocol, Dr. Doug Melton, and his lab at Harvard University, finally decoded the sequence of genes that needs to be activated to yield mature, insulin-producing beta cells in...

Right Turn: Gordie Howe and stem cell tourism

by Stacey Johnson | Apr 24, 2015

. In North America, former Detroit Red Wings player Gordie Howe is fondly referred to as “Mr. Hockey” after career achievements that included holding the NHL record for most games and seasons played, and leading the league in scoring from 1950 to 1954. You...

What drives research in the field of biomaterials?

by Guest | Apr 22, 2015

. By Hamideh Emrani It always feels amazing to find a solution to a problem or challenge. I think this huge sense of accomplishment is what drives many people in the research community. During my academic career, I have come across some remarkable scientists and...

Right Turn: Imagination according to GE

by Stacey Johnson | Apr 17, 2015

. This week, General Electric (GE) announced that it is creating a six-part documentary series about science and technology that will be broadcast on the National Geographic Channel beginning in November. According to the New York Times, the series will focus on the...

ISSCR takes a pre-emptive stand on ethical issues

by David Kent | Apr 16, 2015

. Last month, Nature published a comment by Edward Lanphier and colleagues, which foreshadows the publication of a study in which scientists have used new genome editing tools to modify the DNA of human embryos. Author David Cyranoski weighed in, suggesting that...

Regenerative Medicine Deal Review: March

by Mark Curtis | Apr 13, 2015

. Welcome to your deal review for the month of March. Cellular Dynamics threw shareholders for a loop after making a seemingly hasty decision to sell the company off to Fujifilm in a $307* million deal. Merck and synthetic biology specialist Intrexon announced a...

Right Turn: He wants a clone

by Stacey Johnson | Apr 10, 2015

. Who doesn’t love a science lesson communicated through song? (That’s rhetorical; there’s no need to leave a comment below.) Mr. W., aka Glenn Wolkenfeld, has been educating and enthralling high school students and ended up with a teaching...