A Season of Renewal for the Global Stem Cell Community
Spring has once again arrived across much of the Northern Hemisphere, bringing with it a welcome sense of renewal. At moments like this, I am reminded that science has a special role to play. It is not merely a means of generating knowledge. It is also a shared human enterprise—one that can transcend borders, bring people together across differences, and create hope where uncertainty too often prevails. In an era increasingly marked by fragmentation, I believe it is more important than ever that we reaffirm the value of open scientific exchange, rigorous scholarship, and international solidarity.
It is in this spirit that I look ahead with great anticipation to ISSCR 2026, which will be held in Montréal from 8-11 July under the theme, Real Discoveries, Real Collaboration, Real Potential. We are expecting a fantastic gathering around the most compelling stem cell science of the year, and I believe this is a powerful reflection of both the vitality of our field and the deep desire of our global community to come together. The scientific program is exceptionally rich, organized across six tracks: Clinical Applications, Capturing Development, Disease Modeling and Drug Discovery, Engineering Biology, Ethics/Translation/Policy/Impact, and Somatic Stem Cells. Together, these tracks reflect the remarkable breadth of stem cell science today—from fundamental mechanisms of development and tissue biology, to translational innovation, technological convergence, and the ethical and policy questions that accompany scientific progress. Montréal will not simply be a venue for presenting new findings. It will be a place where we renew our common purpose: to advance science in ways that ultimately improve human health and well-being.
This sense of purpose is also shaping the conversations of the ISSCR Board of Directors as we define the Society’s strategic direction for 2026–2030. The starting point is a strong one. For nearly 25 years, ISSCR has supported, defined, defended, and advanced rigorous and ethical stem cell science. Over that time, the Society has grown into a trusted global voice—one that convenes leaders across basic research, clinical translation, medicine, industry, ethics, and policy. Through its meetings, educational programs, advocacy efforts, publishing platform, and especially its widely respected guidelines and standards, the ISSCR has helped shape not only the scientific agenda of the field, but also the framework for its responsible advancement.
At the same time, we must recognize clearly that the world around us is changing. International collaboration is becoming more difficult in some settings due to geopolitical fragmentation. Scientific and technological advances are moving at extraordinary speed, often faster than regulatory and policy structures can adapt. Public trust is increasingly vulnerable to misinformation. Funding pressures are real in many parts of the world, and the pipeline of future scientists faces growing strain. These are not peripheral concerns. They go directly to the future of our field. They also underscore why ISSCR’s mission is becoming more important, not less.
For this reason, the new strategic framework calls on the ISSCR to evolve beyond the traditional model of a membership society and to further establish itself as a global platform that supports and connects the entire stem cell field. This vision is organized around three interconnected priorities. First, the ISSCR will strengthen its authority in consensus building, scientific standards, and trusted knowledge resources, so that the field has the guidance it needs as new scientific, clinical, and policy challenges emerge. Second, the Society will deepen global connectivity and resilience through meetings, partnerships with regional and national societies, and stronger engagement with members and collaborators worldwide. Third, ISSCR will help secure the future of the field by investing more intentionally in next-generation scientists while also diversifying the resources needed to sustain this work over the long term. Realizing this vision will also require continued evolution in governance, organizational capacity, partnerships, and financial stewardship.
What I find most compelling about this strategy is that it is fundamentally about responsibility. It is about ensuring that scientific progress remains rigorous, ethical, internationally connected, and worthy of public trust. It is about strengthening the bridge between discovery and application without losing sight of the foundational science on which all true progress depends. And it is about recognizing that our responsibility extends not only to current investigators and current patients, but also to the next generation, who will inherit both the opportunities and the unfinished challenges of this field. Stem cell science stands at a moment of extraordinary possibility. In my view, the ISSCR has both the opportunity and the obligation to help guide that future with vision, integrity, and global perspective.
As we prepare for Montréal, I warmly invite all of you to be part of this next chapter. Let us come together not only to share discoveries, but also to strengthen the values that make scientific progress meaningful. Let us foster real collaboration across borders and disciplines, support the next generation with seriousness and generosity, and realize the very real potential of stem cell science to serve humanity.
Hideyuki Okano