ISSCR News
Kidney Organoid Unlocks Genetic Cause of Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 700 million people worldwide and is caused by genetic and environmental factors, as well as existing medical conditions. Known genetic risk factors for CKD include mutations in a gene called APOL1. These are rare in most populations, but two risk variants are present in as much as 13 percent of people with West African origin and another 38% possess one copy (carriers). The causes for APOL1-mediated kidney disease (AMKD) are currently not well understood, and treatments are lacking.
The ISSCR Endorses Joint Associations Group Letter Calling for Continued Support of Essential Research Costs
The ISSCR joined over 160 biomedical and other research organizations to urge U.S. House and Senate appropriators to ensure that essential costs of research continue to be adequately supported by the federal government. These costs, currently collectively known as “indirect costs” or “facilities and administrative” support, are essential to performing high quality scientific research and include expenses like physical lab maintenance, utility costs, data processing, and regulatory compliance. The letter urges appropriators to preserve federal support for essential research expenses, to block arbitrary caps on these costs, and to ensure there is a sufficient transition period for agencies and institutions to make necessary changes to effectively transition to any alternative funding model.
New Podcast Episode. Movin’ On Out: Mobilizing HSCs from the Bone Marrow
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) normally reside in the bone marrow niche but can traffic across the bone marrow endothelium into the bloodstream to populate different niches. This process of HSC mobilization from the bone marrow to the blood, is an increasingly favored procedure to obtain HSCs for hematopoietic cell transplantation therapy. Though mobilization is robust in many donors due to years of refined protocols and drug combinations, the process remains difficult or contraindicated among substantial patient subgroups. Using the current standard of care, up to 30% of patients fail to mobilize HSCs and some patients cannot tolerate the current mobilization procedures. Today’s guests will discuss their research using vascular endothelial growth factor, known as VEGF, as an alternative method of mobilization, the mechanisms underlying it, and the implications for improving patient outcomes.
ISSCR Statement on the Scientific and Therapeutic Value of Human Fetal Tissue Research
The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), the largest professional organization of stem cell researchers from around the world, is concerned about a recent statement attributed to NIH that the agency will not renew research grants involving human fetal tissue (HFT), and that research with HFT is not conducted responsibly or transparently. In fact, research with HFT has been indispensable in advancing biomedicine and saving millions of lives, and it continues to play an essential role in accelerating research that benefits patients.
Transforming the Potential of Stem Cell Research
The field of stem cell science is advancing at an extraordinary pace, and yet the question remains: how do we ensure these innovations truly reach patients? To explore this, I spent much of August in the United States—Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area—meeting with leaders across academia (MIT, the Broad Institute, Tufts, Massachusetts General Hospital, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Gladstone, Stanford), major pharmaceutical companies (Novartis, Sanofi, Eisai), and emerging biotech ventures (Cellino, GC Therapeutics, Shinobi Therapeutics). Through lectures and exchanges, I gained a clearer view of the progress being made, the obstacles still ahead, and the breakthroughs most urgently needed. These conversations reminded me that the ISSCR’s most vital role is to serve as a trusted platform where such knowledge can be shared globally and effectively.
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