Stem Cells

Medical Audio available

"Welded" stem cells may help heal wounds

Ben Coxworth April 23, 2019

​For many years now, scientists have been seeking methods of helping to heal chronic wounds such as those suffered by diabetics. One of the latest possible techniques involves re-engineering the membranes of stem cells, so that those cells essentially get welded together.

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Medical

Revolutions: The incredible potential of induced pluripotent stem cells

Nick Lavars March 20, 2019

This installment of our Revolutions series brings you up to date with the ground-breaking new discoveries made around the regenerative possibilities of induced pluripotent stem cells, which can theoretically be coaxed into any kind of cell in the human body.

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Medical Audio available

Stem cell treatment puts HIV into long-term remission in landmark study

Michael Irving March 4, 2019

Scientists report the “functional cure” of an HIV patient for only the second time ever. Known only as “the London patient”, the man received a transplant of bone marrow stem cells from a donor that had a resistance to the virus. The patient has now been in remission for 18 months.

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Science

Landmark research creates “universal” stem cells using CRISPR gene editing

Rich Haridy February 18, 2019

In an incredible milestone, scientists have for the first time created “universal” stem cells by using CRISPR gene-editing technology to produce pluripotent stem cells that can be transplanted into any patient without generating an immune system response.

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Lab-grown human blood vessels promise breakthroughs in the fight against diabetes

Dario Borghino January 18, 2019

Stem cell researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have successfully managed to grow human blood vessels in the lab. The finding could mark a giant leap forward in the fight against vascular diseases.

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Biology

Turning stem cells into insulin-producing cells could lead to "functional" diabetes cure

Michael Irving January 17, 2019

A possible diabetes cure could be found by replenishing a patient’s own supply of beta cells, which naturally produce insulin. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis are a step closer to that kind of treatment, after tweaking the recipe for turning stem cells into beta cells.

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Method converting cancer cells into fat cells could block metastatic spread

Rich Haridy January 14, 2019

A fascinating study has revealed a method that forces malignant breast cancer cells to turn into fat cells. The research, currently demonstrated in mice, suggests the process could stop tumors from metastasizing and potentially make the cancer more susceptible to conventional chemotherapy.

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Medical

Queen bee's secret sauce uncovers a key ingredient that keeps stem cells young

Nick Lavars December 5, 2018

Royal jelly is a substance that separates queen bees from rest. For the first time, scientists have not only zeroed on the protein behind its incredible growth spurts, they’ve used its structure to identify a similar protein in mammals.

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Biology

"Cell-by-cell map" suggests heart stem cells don't exist

Michael Irving December 5, 2018

Whether or not cardiac stem cells exist has been up for debate, but now European scientists claim to have created a cell-by-cell map of a mouse heart before and after a heart attack – and found no evidence of stem cells at all.

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Health & Wellbeing Audio available

Regrowing hair cells to reverse hearing loss sounds good to us

Michael Irving October 16, 2018

Once we lose the sensory hair cells in the cochlea, they’re gone for good. But now researchers have found a way to regrow them in mice, potentially paving the way for more effective hearing loss treatments in humans.

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