Stem cell research has come a long way over the last few decades with many new exciting potential healthcare applications being developed. These 11 stem cell research projects are some of the most exciting out there.
This list is far from exhaustive and is in no particular order.
1. The Northern White Rhino could be saved using stem cells Stem Cell Research
Status: Ongoing
Research Goal: Help prevent the extinction of the Northern White Rhino species
Institute/Research Team: Department of Reproduction Management at the German Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin
Potential Applications: If successful, it could be used to protect other species in danger of extinction. It could also have applications to human fertility.
Other Info: The plan will be to produce primordial germ cells from induced pluripotent stem cells from preserved somatic cells. These can then be used to generate viable sperm and egg cells to create embryos.
2. The University of Toronto is combining big data with stem cell research Stem Cell Research
Status: Ongoing
Research Goal: Develop a treatment to help with brain diseases
Institute/Research Team: The University of Toronto
Potential Applications: Could be used to create methods of auto-healing for brain-related diseases and other organs during serious illnesses.
Other Info: The research team at U of T's Medicine by Design used the latest genomic technology with machine learning to study how brain stem cells could be used to help the brain heal itself in future.
3. Plerixafor might treat COPD by using the body's own stem cells Stem Cell Research
Status: Drug FDA Approved/Further Research Ongoing
Research Goal: A drug used in stem cell therapy to treat smoking-related cancers has some interesting potential side effects
Potential Applications: If initial findings are true it could be used to prevent or reduce damage caused by smoking to lung tissue and complications like COPD.
Other Info: The drug, Plerixafor, was developed to boost the human immune system by encouraging the release of certain types of stem cells (hematopoietic progenitor cells - HPCs) into the bloodstream from the patient's bone marrow. It was developed to treat various blood-related cancers but has shown that it can help with cancers/organ damage in other organs, like the lungs - in mice at least.
4. Scientists have discovered a new state of stem cell Stem Cell Research
Status: Ongoing
Research Goal: To build on our understanding of a 'new state' of stem cells
Institute/Research Team: American University and Georgetown University
Potential Applications: It could be used to treat obesity
Other Info: Researchers have found that some stem cells don't seem to follow orders, as expected. Unlike their neighbours who faithfully convert themselves to fat cells, some seemed to remain dormant. This could be used to prevent fat from accumulating in unwanted places around the body, leading to dangerous disorders like heart disease.
5. Stem cells can help treat heart diseases Stem Cell Research
Status: Trial Stage
Research Goal: Potential treatment of heart disease
Institute/Research Team: British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence at the University of Edinburgh
Potential Applications: To provide a non-invasive means of treating heart disease
Other Info: The team found that delivering stem cells to the heart indirectly by infusion could significantly improve patient's recovery post heart attack.
6. Parkinson's disease could be treatable with stem cells Stem Cell Research
Status: Ongoing
Research Goal: To cure Parkinson's Disease
Institute/Research Team: Institute of Zoology - Chinese Academy of Sciences
Potential Applications: It may provide a cure/treatment for Parkinson's disease
Other Info: Chinese scientists have successfully tested using stem cells to treat Parkinson's in primates. As the disease is caused by the death of dopamine neurons, stem cell therapy shows promising abilities to reverse this.
7. Skin cells can be morphed into stem cells using CRISPRa Stem Cell Research
Status: Ongoing
Research Goal: Explore the possibility of converted existing cells into stem cells
Institute/Research Team: University of Helsinki, Karolinska Institutet, and King’s College London
Potential Applications: This could be used to reprogramme already specialised cells into stem cells using CRISPRa
Other Info: Researchers have now for the first time succeeded in converting skin cells into pluripotent stem cells by activating the cell’s own genes.
8. Paralysed patients could feel again using stem cell therapy Stem Cell Research
Status: Ongoing
Research Goal: Restore the sense of touch to paralysed patients
Institute/Research Team: University of California, Los Angeles
Potential Applications: To restore the sense of touch to paralysed patients
Other Info: The team used a combination of proteins to instruct stem cells to turn into interneuron cells - thereby restored touch to patients.
9. Embryos of mice can now be created using stem cells Stem Cell Research
Status: Ongoing
Research Goal: Investigating the possibility of making 'germ cells' from stem cells in mice
Institute/Research Team: Maastricht University's MERLN Institute
Potential Applications: Could have profound benefits for improving fertility in humans
Other Info: The team mixed two types of stem cells in a petri dish from mice. These were then implanted into the womb of another mouse and actually initiated a pregnancy, for a few days at least.
10. Stem cell fillings could replace traditional ones Stem Cell Research
Status: Ongoing
Research Goal: Find a way for teeth to self-repair
Institute/Research Team: Harvard University and the University of Nottingham
Potential Applications: Could be used as an alternative to traditional cavity fillings
Other Info: The team developed a means of using stem cells to stimulate dentin growth in teeth. With this approach dental problems could be resolved by letting the teeth heal themselves rather than needing painful surgery.
11. Stem cells can be made to live longer to mass-produce blood bells Stem Cell Research
Status: Ongoing
Research Goal: Making blood artificially
Institute/Research Team: University of Bristol
Potential Applications: Replace traditional blood donation with mass artificial synthesis
Other Info: This research would help alleviate the ongoing healthcare problems of blood supply shortages by immortalising stem cells. This article was written by Christopher McFadden and is reproduced with kind permission from InterestingEngineering.com. Find the link to the original article here.