New York State Stem Cell Science

Vitamin C May Help Treat Certain Blood Cancers

Research from Iannis Aifantis and colleagues at NYU School of Medicine finds vitamin C may work as a therapy for some leukemias and myelodysplastic syndromes by activating TET2.

NYSTEM Consortium Creates Spinoff Company

A NYSTEM funded consortium based at Roswell Park Cancer Institute launched a new biotechnology company to target cancer

Parkin mutations cause changes in electrophysiological properties of neurons

Jian Feng’s group identifies a pathophysiological change in neurons derived from Parkinson’s patients harboring parkin mutations

NYSTEM Awardee Launches Biotech Company

Regenerative medicine company receives venture capital funding for Parkinson’s research

Patient Cells Shed Light On Developmental Mechanisms Underlying Schizophrenia

A new research collaboration from scientists at the University at Buffalo and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai identifies a role for Integrative Nuclear FGFR1 Signaling in schizophrenia

Toward Personalizing Treatments of Gliomas

Testing TGF-β inhibition as a radiosensitizer in tumor explants points toward a future of personalized therapies

A Developmental Program for Cell Cannibalism

Research from Jeremy Nance identifies cell cannibalism during development of C. elegans

Molecular Checkpoint Decisions Made by Subverted Vascular Niche Transform Indolent Tumors into Chemoresistant Cancer Stem Cells

Vascular niche of tumor-associated vascular endothelial cells (TECs) can enable cancer stem cell aggressiveness.

NYSTEM Releases Second Strategic Plan

ESSCB releases second Strategic Plan reviewing NYSTEM’s accomplishments and setting forth objectives for the next phase of the program: “The New York State Stem Cell Science (NYSTEM) Program: A Report on Progress and a Vision for the Future.”

International Collaboration Produces Haploid Human Embryonic Stem Cells

An international collaboration between researchers in New York and Israel produces haploid human embryonic stem cells capable of normal differentiation.

Electrical Stimulation Provides Conditioning Cues for Generation of Mature Heart Muscle Cells from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Researchers led by Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, the Mikati Foundation Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Medical Sciences at Columbia University, have for the first time demonstrated that electrical conditioning of stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in three-dimensional culture promotes cardiomyocyte maturation. The therapeutic success of human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes critically depends on their ability to respond to and integrate with the surrounding electromechanical environment. Dr. Vunjak-Novakovic’s team showed that cardiomyocytes adapt their autonomous beating rate to the frequency at which they were stimulated, an effect mediated by the emergence of a rapidly depolarizing cell population. This rate-adaptive behaviour is long-lasting and transferable to the surrounding cardiomyocytes. In summary, this exciting discovery sheds some light on more effective stem cell therapy of the heart by preconditioning human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes with electrical stimulation.

Combination of Stem Cells and Gene Modifying Tools Provide Path to Vision Repair

Scientists led by Stephen Tsang and Vinit Mahajan used CRISPR/Cas9-based gene modification in patient-derived stem cells to repair a mutation that causes retinitis pigmentosa.

The Vascular Niche Controls Lung Repair

Bi-Sen Ding and Shahin Rafii explore the role of lung endothelial cells in response to damage.

Expert Panel Assesses NYSTEM Program

NYSTEM: Capitalizing on Opportunities and Confronting Challenges, a Report by the NYSTEM External Review Panel

Lorenz Studer Profiled in The Scientist

Dr. Lorenz Studer, M.D., of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center was recently profiled in The Scientist.

Improved Method to Convert Skin Cells to Dopamine Neurons

Jian Feng Publishes an Improved Method to Produce Dopamine Neurons From Patient Cells

NYSTEM Congratulates Lorenz Studer, Winner of MacArthur Foundation Fellowship for Pioneering Research Into Parkinson’s Disease

Cornell Stem Cell Modeling and Phenotyping Core offers new services

The Cornell Stem Cell Modeling and Phenotyping Core offers new services and a revised price list through its Stem Cell Pathology Unit.

A Protocol for Production of Neurons to Study Mental Illnesses

A new method from Jian Feng’s lab details conversion of fibroblasts to serotonergic neurons

New Research Indicates Path to Cell-Based Therapy for Liver Diseases

Drs. Namita and Jayanta Roy-Chowdhury demonstrated transplantation of hepatocyte-like cells differentiated from human iPS cells can reduce the effects of liver disease.