ISSCR News
New Guidance from ISSCR Ethics Committee Clarifies Scientific Justification for Stem Cell and Embryo Research
In an article published today in Stem Cell Reports complements the 2021 ISSCR Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, providing essential clarification on what constitutes “adequate and appropriate scientific justification” in studies involving human pluripotent stem cells, embryos, and related research.
ISSCR Statement on the Scientific and Therapeutic Value of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Human embryonic stem (hES) cells represent a foundational platform in stem cell science. Their capacity for sustained self-renewal and pluripotency—the ability to differentiate into all cell types in the body—enables critical research into human development, disease mechanisms, and the development of new regenerative medicines.
Education Committee is Focused on “Lowering the Threshold for Activation”
This month, I caught up with Eugenia Piddini and Jaime Imitola, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Education Committee to learn about their work in general as well as the latest major contribution to build the first continuing education course on stem cell medicine. This work exemplifies how committees have come together to produce new and exceptional opportunities with lasting impact on our field. One strong theme that came through in our conversation is the deep belief of the critical role that education plays in all we do, and the need to present current information in ways that bridge experts across different specialties (i.e., clinicians, basic scientists) and areas of stem cell science and regenerative biology for the benefit of medicine and patients.
The ISSCR Welcomes New Vice President, Treasurer, Clerk, and Directors
The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) is pleased to announce the results of its 2025 election and to welcome new leaders to the ISSCR Executive Committee and Board of Directors.
New Podcast Episode. Leaving an Imprint: The Function, Impact, and Detection of Epigenetic Marks
Parent-specific epigenetic marks (imprints) leading to parent-specific gene expression are crucial for normal growth and development, yet their mechanisms of establishment and maintenance are not fully understood. In humans, approximately 200 imprinted genes have been discovered, and improper imprinting can manifest in growth restriction, obesity, intellectual disabilities, behavioral abnormalities, and an increased risk of certain cancers. While the use of pluripotent stem cells, especially those in the naïve state, have advanced aspects of modeling early development, a persistent issue hampering bona fide naïve hPSCs is the erosion of imprints. Our guests on today's episode will discuss genomic imprinting, its function, impact, and a new reporter system of imprinted gene expression in hPSCs that enables real-time visualization of loss-of-imprinting at single-cell resolution. This assay provides an important tool to help discover how to improve the imprint fidelity of naïve hPSCs and hence their application for studies of human development and regeneration.
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