Research Library

As false or inaccurate information about stem cell interventions continues to circulate widely, the authors write that immediate action is needed to improve patient education and safety — and to combat misinformation more broadly.

Stem cells have two unique properties that make them an appealing therapeutic tool for regenerative medicine: they can grow indefinitely and can differentiate into a wide variety of cell types, including those that form blood, bones, lungs, skin, and the brain.

Scientists and members of the public exploring the controversial area of U.S. human embryo and embryoid research will find a complex and sometimes bewildering assortment of federal and state laws. The authors recommend additional guidance, but note slow progress in the development of embryo research policy.

Companies developing stem cell-based interventions should work with policymakers and patient advocates to address risks for current and future patients and to protect clinical research and the reputation of the field, write the authors. Read their full article in Cell & Gene Therapy Insights (free registration).

The intense marketing of unproven stem cell interventions has become an international health concern. The authors offer resources and suggestions for physicians seeking to effectively counsel patients and respond to their questions about various stem cell therapies.

Input from the public is particularly important when developing science policies that involve controversial and morally complex issues, the authors write.

As the pandemic persisted across the state, did Texans living in cities have better access to Covid-19 vaccines than those in rural areas? How did race or age factor in? The authors assess the successes and shortfalls of Texas' vaccine distribution strategy, and how to do better next time.

The authors examine a proposal for new human embryo and embryoid guidelines, writing that before conducting any research beyond day 14, scientists must develop clear, thoughtful and culturally sensitive guidelines that include limitations and oversight procedures to ensure that science responds to societal needs and values.

To better reflect the iterative collaboration necessary for scientific progress, the Nobel Prize must expand its recognition to the many contributors of winning discoveries as well as diversify the selection committee, thereby also expanding recognition of the work of underrepresented minorities, argues this Baker Institute Blog post.

On Monday, David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian received the 2021 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology “for their discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch.” Fellow Kirstin Matthews praises their research on how capsaicin and TRP affect nerve cells as an accomplishment made possible by U.S. federal funding for and support of science.