Happy Stem Cell Awareness Day SCP fans and welcome to Episode 55. Be sure to visit stemcellpodcast.com for current and past episodes and to sign up for our newsletter. We begin this episode by answering some questions from you the audience, thank you to everyone that submitted their questions and apologies to those that we could not get to. After this we do a mini-Science Roundup sponsored by Thermo Fisher including:
Creation of rudimentary kidneys from stem cells
A new method to generate "old" neurons
A new company created to create genetically modified pigs
Flowing water found on Mars
For the interview portion of the show, sponsored by Stem Cell Technologies, we bring on Dr. David Mooney, Professor of Bioengineering at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences to discuss his work using Biomaterials to help stem cells more efficiently integrate after transplantation. We then finish off the show with a rant on automatic flushing toilets. Enjoy!
Below are all of the papers mentioned on the show. We are working on a way to categorize all of the research papers we mention and possibly even provide audio summaries. Enter in your name and e-mail address below, and we will notify you of when this feature is available.
Resources, Links and Research Papers Mentioned In This Session Include:
Gene-Editing Record Smashed In Pigs – In this article, researchers modify more than 60 genes using CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology in effort to enable organ transplants into humans.
NASA Discovers Evidence for Liquid Water on Mars – According to this article, NASA scientists have found compelling evidence that liquid water exists on Mars based on the “recurring slope lineae,” patches of precipitated salt that appear to dribble down Mars’ steep slopes like tears rolling gently down a cheek.
Article Mentioned in the Stem Cell Day Questions Answered Section:
Stem Cell Fraud: A 60 Minutes Investigation – In this article, Scott Pelley confronts one disgraced doctor offering false hope to a family with a disabled child using unproven stem cell treatment.
Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. David Mooney
