What an extraordinary year this has been for science. We witnessed an amazing international response for vaccine development to combat COVID-19. Never before has a drug passed so quickly from the bench through regulatory hurdles to beside. We saw science take center stage in the media as our community rose to the challenge of the pandemic. And, behind the headlines of COVID-19, we watched our colleagues pass major milestones in stem cell research and regenerative medicine.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) today released updated guidelines for stem cell research and its translation to medicine. The update reflects emerging advances including, stem cell-based embryo models, human embryo research, chimeras, organoids, and genome editing.

We are weeks away from the ISSCR 2021 Annual Meeting, and there is much to anticipate in the meantime. There are so many new programs and announcements coming up for our members and the stem cell community in the next two months, I thought I would take this month’s column to highlight a just a few that I am excited about.

The ISSCR is saddened to learn of the death of Eli Broad, a philanthropist who greatly influenced the field of stem cell science. Together, Eli and Edythe Broad founded the Broad Foundation and made significant investments in science that underscore the belief that research has the potential to treat devastating diseases and significantly improve human health.

A new miniaturized model of NMJ formation, recently published in Stem Cell Reports, will find broad application in studying motor neuron pathology and the discovery of potential therapeutics in ALS.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) scientific series, Stem Cells and Global Sustainability, is open to the public this week in honor of Earth Day.

The scientific community appreciates that the Biden Administration is lifting the arbitrary restrictions on promising biomedical research using human fetal tissue. Fetal tissue is a crucial research tool that has contributed to numerous scientific advances and saved millions of lives. It was critical for the development of vaccines for polio, rubella, measles, chickenpox, and rabies. It remains essential for creating models of the human immune system for studying viral infections from HIV, Zika, coronavirus, and other viruses.

For 16 years, Nancy Witty has guided the ISSCR to its present prominence as the leading scientific society for stem cell research. Her leadership has enabled our international community to establish a strong foothold in promoting stem cell science, education, and global public policy initiatives that support the field. Nancy will retire in June from her amazing career as ISSCR’s Chief Executive Officer.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) unveils a new podcast today in connection with the Society’s open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal, Stem Cell Reports. The Stem Cell Report with Martin Pera goes “beyond the paper” with authors to draw new insights and explore the questions and creativity that propel new breakthroughs.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) announced today that Nancy Witty will retire as Chief Executive Officer effective 30 June 2021. Keith Alm, current ISSCR Chief Operating Officer will succeed her.