The human genome might be mapped, but there are still many spots that say "Here be Dragons," especially when you try to determine if variants found in genetic sequencing will lead to diseases. However, a novel study from the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute has found a way to narrow down genetic "variants of uncertain significance" to find out just what kind of health problems they can cause, by using induced pluripotent stem cells. WHAT ARE PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS AND IPSCS? Pluripotent stem cells are the most dynamic types of stem cells, capable of differentiating into cells of any the body's three layers (ectoderm, ectoderm, and mesoderm). However, the cost to this flexibility is that they are also the least numerous form of stem cells, primarily found in embryos. However, the solution scientists have come up [...]

In Greek mythology, the chimera was a monster with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and a serpent for a tail. However, in real life, chimeras are any organism that possess two different sets of DNA. For instance, a twin that absorbs their sibling in utero or the recipient of a bone marrow transplant often become chimeras naturally because of the changes to their body's cells. Human animal chimeras have been a big part of scientific research for decades, with lab mice often genetically engineered with human cells to replicate our immune systems to better test drug efficacy. These chimeras are created by injecting human stem cells into animal embryos to create whatever tissue is needed for research. THE LATEST ADVANCES IN CHIMERA RESEARCH Human animal chimera research has hit [...]

Fasting diets are all the rage right now, with a variety of studies proclaiming all the magnificent health benefits that can be gained from abstaining from food for over 24 hours at a time. However, one particularly novel study from MIT claims that in addition to swift weight loss and lower blood pressure, a 24-hour fast can "turn back the clock" on your intestinal stem cells' functions. As you grow older, your body's stem cells slowly lose their ability to regenerate tissue and their replenishment also begins to decrease. Intestinal stem cells are key to repairing damage from injury or infection in your stomach, but they too get weaker with age. But MIT discovered degeneration can be reversed through a strain of proteins called PPARs that trigger a metabolic shift after a period of [...]

Enhanced robotic capabilities are driving innovation in all sectors of healthcare research, but the University of Washington has developed an automated system to increase the speed and accuracy of their stem cell research using robots to grow mini-organs. As you know, stem cells are the building blocks of all organs and can be used to grow them in labs, but can also be used to make mini-organs or organoids made specifically to analyze diseases and test new procedures and medications on. Traditionally, using stem cells to grow organoids was a full day's job that required a scientist's full attention. UW's robotic approach takes 20 minutes and is fully automated. HOW CAN ROBOTS MAKE ORGANOIDS? Essentially, growing organoids is accomplished by distributing stem cells in liquid across a number of plates manually, with a researcher taking [...]