Genetic Modifications in Humans:
The Scientific Methods, Medical Applications and Ethical Implications

Dr. George Daley, Boston Children's Hospital
Timothy Caulfield, University of Alberta

It has been just over a half-century since the structure of DNA was solved. In the intervening years, advances in the technology used to analyze and manipulate DNA have led to scientific breakthroughs that have significantly and rapidly advanced how we understand and treat human disease. It is now possible to edit genes in humans, a strategy that is currently being tested in clinical trials as an approach to fight diseases such as HIV and cancer. There have been recent questions raised on whether this technology can and should be used to modify the inheritable DNA in human sperm, eggs or early embryos. Dr. George Daley, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Timothy Caulfield, University of Alberta, discuss the scientific and medical applications, as well as the social and legal implications.

A Series with Dr. Brian J. Abraham

Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research

Part 1 - From Genes to Characters: 
How Stem Cells Act Out Roles to Form the Human Body

An exploration of how your DNA is interpreted by stem cells as they develop and become key components of the human body.

Part 2 - Swapping Identities:
Reprogramming Cells to do the Jobs Your Body Needs

We look at how to exploit cells' normal identity-controlling machinery to change their roles, thus making cells that can treat disease.

Part 3 - Cells that Heal: 
How Reprogramming Identities Can Treat Diseases

A tour of some ways stem cells are used as therapies.

Part 4 - Cells that Heal: 
Ethical Considerations for Stem Cell Research

An exploration of the ethical and regulatory questions that often surround stem cell research.

From Mice to Medicine

Dr. Leonard Zon, Boston Children's Hospital
Dr. Heather Rooke, The International Society for Stem Cell Research

Early experiments in fruit flies and fish and mice can seem so far away from any meaningful clinical application, but this basic research is the foundation on which important medical discoveries are built.

The Science of Regenerative Medicine

Ben Paylor, Canadian Stem Cell Network

The ISSCR celebrates Stem Cell Awareness Day, October 8, with a talk by Ben Paylor, exploring the basics of stem cell biology and including three StemCellShorts, voiced by stem cell experts Drs. Jim Till, Janet Rossant and Mick Bhatia, as well as a question and answer period.

Connecting Genetics and Heart Disease

Chad Cowan, Ph.D., Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital

Scientists know that a person’s genetic makeup contributes to the likelihood of their having a heart attack, but there has remained a gap between their knowledge of genetic indicators and medicine. Harvard scientist Chad Cowan is trying to bridge that gap using stem cell research to learn how genetic factors influence cholesterol levels in the blood.

Treating Vision Loss with Stem Cells

Robin Ali, Ph.D., University College London, United Kingdom

There is a good precedent for using stem cell therapy to repair eye damage. Transplanting corneal stem cells to repair chemical burns of the cornea has been very successful in restoring vision. But the retina – a multi-layered neural network – is a much more complicated structure, so repairing it poses greater challenges. Hear from Prof. Ali about the latest advances his lab is making to treat disease of the retina using stem cells.

Disease Modeling with iPS Cells: Diseases in a Dish Explained

Kevin Eggan, Ph.D., Harvard Stem Cell Institute, USA

Stem cell research is revolutionizing the way we can study human diseases. Using a technology called "induced pluripotent stem cells" (or iPS cells), scientists can turn a patent's own cells into embryonic-like stem cells and then use those cells to model diseases outside of the body. During this live public webcast, Dr. Kevin Eggan from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute will describe how he is using this method to study neurological and psychiatric conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and schizophrenia.

An Introduction to Endogenous Heart Repair

Deepak Srivastava, MD, Gladstone Institutes, USA

Millions of people suffer from heart attacks each year, and survivors face an increased risk of chronic heart failure due to scarring. Stem cell scientists like Dr. Deepak Srivastava are researching ways to regenerate heart tissue and restore function – a process called endogenous (or “self”) repair. Learn more about the research and its potential in this webcast.