Embryonic Stem Cell Research

The Mammalian Cell Fate Map

Mar 18th, 2009 | By | Category: Embryonic Stem Cell Research

As a part of writing up my PhD thesis, I adapted this figure from Gilbert’s Developmental Biology, Fourth Edition: (This figure is my own. Click for a much larger version–suitable for printing on an 8.5×11 sheet of paper.) When I write about embryonic stem cells, I’m often saying something like this: Making a new mammal […]



The Ethics of Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Mar 13th, 2009 | By | Category: Embryonic Stem Cell Research

What happens when a part of our body gets injured–or just wears out? The ideal response would be to replace the tissue and cells lost with new, full-functional replacements–regeneration. For the parts of our body that are constantly turning over–skin, blood, and to a lesser extent bone for examples–this is exactly what happens. Since the […]



What Bush Got Wrong on Stem Cells

Jul 17th, 2008 | By | Category: Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Featured Articles

Everything.



A Gigantic Breakthrough in Stem Cell Research

Nov 20th, 2007 | By | Category: Embryonic Stem Cell Research

(Image from Takahashi et al., Induction of Pluripotent Cell form Adult Human Fibroblasts by Defined Factors, Cell (2007), doi:10.1016/j.cell.2007.11.019) Ok. Now I believe. Two groups working independently–Dr. Yamanaka’s lab in Japan and Dr. Thomson’s Lab in Wisconsin–have converted human cells into embryonic stem cell-like cells. This tremendous accomplishment is on par with the initial creation […]



Highlights from Today’s UW Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM) Meeting

Nov 5th, 2007 | By | Category: Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Seattle hosts one of the two major NIH-funded human embryonic stem cell research centers in the United States. This federally funded grant–ten million dollars spread over five years–is supplemented with private donations from the community. What’s being done with the money: A course to train young scientists, training grant to fund them and community outreach […]



“The Lingering Concequences of Nationalism-Socialism” or Thoughts on Science in Europe

Oct 19th, 2007 | By | Category: Embryonic Stem Cell Research

I’ve just returned from a week long trip to Germany (Düsseldorf and Dresden) for scientific meetings on stem cell research and regenerative medicine–the land of cheerful public artwork, amazing cab drivers and tear-inducing-good mass transit. How many hybrids did I see? Zero Some thoughts: I. Human embryonic stem cell research in Germany is under tight […]



Federally Funded Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Sep 5th, 2007 | By | Category: Embryonic Stem Cell Research

The University of Washington was selected by the NIH as one of two national centers for human embryonic stem cell research. The purse? Ten million dollars in federal funds spread over five years. Hurray for us! (Full disclosure time: I was a small contributor to the grant, including preliminary data, experimental design and writing. The […]