The Stem Cell Podcast

Guest: Dr. Kotaro Sasaki is an Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. In this episode, he discusses how his lab uses human pluripotent stem cells to model germ cell development and endocrine organs such as the testis and adrenal gland. He highlights progress toward in vitro gametogenesis, including generating spermatogonial-like cells and reconstructing testicular environments, as well as recent advances in building adrenal organoids with zonal architecture. He also explores the scientific, translational, and ethical challenges of creating functional human gametes, and emphasizes the importance of developmental biology in guiding stem cell-based approaches. Featured Products and Resources: Get a free wallchart on the derivation and applications of hPSCs. Take your human pluripotent stem cell cultures further with mTeSR™ Plus from STEMCELL Technologies. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Stage-Specific Cell Competition – Cell competition in gastruloids is stage-specific and dri

Guest: Dr. Aitor Aguirre is an Associate Professor at Michigan State University and Director of the Stem Cell Core. In this episode, he discusses how his lab uses pluripotent stem cells and cardiac organoids to model human heart development and disease. He highlights the role of self-organization and bioengineering in building complex heart models, including assembloids with immune and neural components, and their applications in studying conditions like atrial fibrillation. He also shares perspectives on open science, collaboration, and training the next generation of scientists. Featured Products and Resources: Get a free wallchart on the directed differentiation of hPSCs. Explore STEMCELL Technologies’ collection of technical videos and webinars on neurological disease modeling. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Modeling West Nile Encephalitis – Human cerebral organoids effectively model West Nile virus encephalitis and its associated neuronal damage and inflammation. New Therapy fo

Guest: Dr. Thorsten Boroviak is an Assistant Professor at the University of Cambridge and a member of the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. He discusses how stem cell–based embryo models are helping researchers study early human and primate development, including implantation and gastrulation. He also talks about using primate systems such as marmoset to understand human development, the role of biomechanics and extraembryonic tissues in embryogenesis, and the ethical considerations surrounding embryo models and emerging technologies like in vitro gametogenesis. Featured Products and Resources: Explore a basic overview of organoids and resources to support your organoid culture. Explore STEMCELL Technologies’ collection of technical videos and webinars on neurological disease modeling. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Mitophagy Controls Blood Stem Cells – Embryonic blood stem cells expand while staying multipotent thanks to tightly controlled ROS levels regulated by developmental mitopha

Guest: Drs. Shuibing Chen and Hans Clevers, members of the Steering Committee for the ISSCR Consortium on Advanced Stem Cell-Based Models in Drug Discovery and Development, explore how stem cell–derived organoids and other new approach methodologies (NAMs) can complement or replace animal models in preclinical research. The discussion highlights the need for standardization, regulatory alignment, and industry collaboration to improve reproducibility, accelerate drug development, and ultimately create more human-relevant and effective therapies.  Building on its long-standing leadership in global standards, ethics, and policy, the ISSCR is uniquely positioned to convene industry, academia, and regulators around this effort. The initiative also reflects the Society’s expanding industry engagement, with industry membership increasing nearly 180% over the past five years – creating new opportunities for strategic partnerships to address shared scientific and translational challenges. Featured P

Guest: Drs. Fiona Doetsch and Nozomu Yachie, Co-Chairs of the ISSCR 2026 Annual Meeting Program Committee, join the podcast to discuss what to expect at the upcoming ISSCR 2026 meeting taking place in Montreal, Canada from July 8 – 11, 2026. This is the world’s largest and most comprehensive gathering dedicated to stem cell research and regenerative medicine, bringing together global leaders across basic science, technology development, translational research, and clinical application. They discuss the meeting’s global focus, program highlights, and spotlight the many new invited speakers and expanded opportunities for trainees to present and network. Featured Products and Resources: Explore STEMCELL Technologies’ collection of technical videos and webinars on neurological disease modeling. Get a free wallchart showing how organoids are used as model systems to study infectious diseases, cancer, congenital disorders, and tissue regeneration. The Stem Cell Science Round Up HCMV

Guest: Dr. Joseph Wu is a Professor of Medicine and Radiology and the Director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute. He talks about the importance of pharmacology knowledge in drug discovery. He also discusses his early iPSC research, investigating vaccine-induced myocarditis, and embracing New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). (39:40) Featured Products and Resources: Submit your abstract for ISSCR 2026 by February 25th! STEMdiff™ Ventricular Cardiomyocyte Differentiation Kit The Stem Cell Science Round Up Autism Genes in Organoids: Research provides new insight into the convergent impact of autism spectrum disorder genetic risk on human neurodevelopment. (2:35) Pancreatic Organoid Screening: High-content screen reveals 54 compounds altering pancreatic organoid shape or differentiation. (13:15) CRISPR Screening for Tauopathies: CRISPR screens in human neurons reveal modifiers of tau oligomer accumulation. (21:03) Fixing Facial Scarring: Modulating ROBO2-EID1-EP300 signaling pathway promo

Guest: Dr. Pinar Mesci is the Global Head of Biomanufacturing and Biotechnology at Axiom Space, where she manages a portfolio focused on biomedical research programs including stem cells, tissue engineering, disease modeling, cancer research, and DNA-inspired nanomaterials. She talks about her early career developing brain organoid models, transitioning to the space industry, and how microgravity affects biological systems. She also discusses the future of low Earth orbit research and how new technologies can be transferred back to Earth. (40:55) Featured Products and Resources: Submit your abstract for ISSCR 2026 by February 25th! Take your human pluripotent stem cell cultures further with mTeSR™ Plus from STEMCELL Technologies. The Stem Cell Science Round Up iPSC-Derived Ovarian Support Cells – Fertilo is an ovarian support cell product that improves the in vitro maturation rate of human oocytes. (1:25) Culturing HSPCs Ex Vivo – A nanoengineered 3D system improves HSPC multi-lineage dif

Guest: Dr. Deepak Srivastava is the President of the Gladstone Institutes and Director of the Roddenberry Stem Cell Center. His lab is focused on the gene networks that guide cardiac development. He talks about their recent work investigating heart defects in Down syndrome and strategies for delivering therapies to the heart. He also talks about how to incentivize the development and commercialization of cell and gene therapies. (41:50) Featured Products and Resources: Submit your abstract for ISSCR 2026! STEMdiff™ Ventricular Cardiomyocyte Differentiation Kit The Stem Cell Science Round Up Heart and Ganglion Development – Researchers fused human sympathetic ganglion organoids and heart-forming organoids to construct functional connections between the sympathetic ganglia and the heart. (2:38) Periportal Liver Assembloids – Patient-specific periportal liver assembloids retain the histological arrangement, gene expression, and cell interactions of periportal liver tissue. (9:40) PIEZO1 and

Guest: Dr. Hans Clevers is a Professor of Molecular Genetics and Distinguished Group Leader at the University of Utrecht. In this episode, he discusses snake gut and lung organoids, transitioning from academia to industry, and the challenges and complexities of creating a cell therapy. (44:26) Featured Products and Resources: Registration and abstracts are open for the ISSCR 2026 annual meeting. Receive an offer to try IntestiCult in your lab. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Computers Made From Human Brain Cells – Researchers have shown that structured neuronal firing sequences appear in spontaneous activity of human and murine brain organoids. (2:37) Organoids Replicate Vascular Pathology – Scientists have developed a blood vessel organoid model from Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome-mutant hESCs. (12:01) Effects of Spaceflight on Stem Cells – Analyses of nine astronauts before, during, and after three short-duration International Space Station missions shows space-associated stem cell

Guest: Dr. Thomas Vierbuchen is Assistant Professor of Developmental Biology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. In this episode, he talks about using PSCs to model neurodevelopmental processes. He also discusses his direct reprogramming work and his lab’s recent study on OTX2 in gastrulation. (42:02) Featured Products and Resources: Submit your abstract for ISSCR 2026! Explore STEMCELL Technologies’ collection of technical videos and webinars on neurological disease modeling. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Restoring Function After Spinal Cord Injury: In a non-human primate model of spinal injury, researchers grafted ESC-derived spinal cord neural stem cells and improved forelimb function. (2:00) Improving HSC Expansion: Inhibiting ferroptosis augments the expansion of HSCs ex vivo. (11:40) Cardiomyocytes and Macrophage Reprogramming: Injury-induced Clusterin+ cardiomyocytes promote neonatal heart regeneration by reprogramming macrophages. (21:27) Bone Marrow Organoi

Dr. Sumru Bayin is a Group Leader at the Gurdon Institute at the University of Cambridge. She talks about her work on regeneration in the neonatal mouse cerebellum and how cerebellar interneurons differentiate. She also discusses organizing a workshop to facilitate collaborations in regenerative biology, and her memories of the late Sir John Gurdon.

Dr. Juan Melero-Martin is an Associate Professor and the Endowed Chair in Cardiac Surgery at Boston Children's Hospital. His lab uses bioengineering principles to understand how vascular networks are formed and the mechanisms by which the vasculature modulates the engraftment and activity of various human stem cells.

Guest: Dr. Carole LaBonne is the Erastus Otis Haven Professor of Molecular Biosciences at Northwestern University. Her lab studies the genesis of neural crest stem cells at the level of the signaling pathways and transcription factors that comprise the neural crest gene regulatory network. They also study how these mechanisms contribute to exit from pluripotency and the subsequent lineage restriction of neural crest cells to their derivative cell types that collectively define vertebrates. (39:45) Featured Products and Resources: Save time and stay current with ESC & iPSC News. Generate high-purity neural crest precursors from hPSCs with the STEMdiff Neural Crest Differentiation Kit. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Creating Modified Cows and Sheep from Haploid Stem Cells – Scientists have successfully derived haploid androgenetic ESCs from cattle and sheep, and have developed a novel method to generate offspring from these cells. (4:33) Embryonic Stem Cells from Birds – Researchers

Guest: Dr. Paul Tesar is the Director of the Institute for Glial Sciences and the Dr. Donald and Ruth Weber Goodman Professor of Innovative Therapeutics at Case Western Reserve University. His lab uses PSCs to model neurological development and disease with a specific focus on oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. He talks about his work on oligodendrocyte maturation, advancing research into the commercial and clinical sectors, and mentoring the next generation of scientists. (42:17) Featured Products and Resources: STEMdiff Neural Crest Differentiation Kit enables high-purity generation of neural crest precursors from human pluripotent stem cells. Explore STEMCELL Technologies’ collection of technical videos and webinars on neurological disease modeling. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Spatially Patterned Kidney Assembloids – Genome-edited kidney progenitor assembloids recapitulate hallmarks of human autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. (5:50) Transposable Elements Controlling C

Dr. Lars Velten is a Group Leader at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona. He talks about his research on cell-state-specific enhancers in hematopoiesis and lineage tracing techniques to study blood aging. He also discusses combining generative AI with wet lab techniques and the advantages of risk-taking in basic research.

Guest: Dr. Alice Soragni is an Associate Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. She talks about her work on patient-derived organoids and how they can be adapted for drug screening. She also discusses how she transitioned from structural biology to research on protein aggregation and rare diseases, and the current social media landscape for scientists. (45:20) Featured Products and Resources: Download a free wallchart on the applications of organoid cultures. Take your human pluripotent stem cell cultures further with mTeSR™ Plus. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Optogenetic Control of Morphogen Production – Researchers established a model that recapitulates Sonic hedgehog-mediated patterning of the vertebrate neural tube. (4:17) Oligodendrocyte Maturation – Reducing SOX6 levels unlocks oligodendrocyte maturation and myelination. (15:45) CAR T Therapy for Kidney Disease – Targeting extracellular matrix-producing cells with CAR T therapy is a therapeutic st

Guest: Dr. Zhongwei Li is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California. His lab focuses on kidney organogenesis with translational applications of kidney regeneration and disease modeling. He talks about his work on PSC-derived nephron progenitors and drug discovery applications for polycystic kidney disease. (40:12) Featured Products and Resources: Share your feedback and enter to win a Bluetooth speaker! Take your human pluripotent stem cell cultures further with mTeSR™ Plus. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Chemically Induced Embryo Founder Cells: A small-molecule-only approach was used to induce mouse embryonic stem cells into embryo founder cells, which generated a mouse embryo model. (1:45) Transgene-Free Embryo Models: Scientists generated transgene-free stem cell-based embryo models solely from mouse naïve PSCs. (13:25) Hypoimmune CAR T Cells: Allogeneic hypoimmune CAR T cells do not induce an immune response in patients. (21:15) Reconstructing PSC-Islets: PSC-isl

Dr. Mark Hatley is an Associate Faculty Member and Director of the Division of Molecular Oncology at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. His research focuses on the developmental origins and genetic mechanisms of pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma. He talks about his work on pediatric oncology and the mechanisms that differentiate normal development from cancer. He also discusses the role of PAX3-FOXO1 and DICER1 in tumorigenesis.

Guest: Dr. Jeanne Loring is a Co-Founder of Aspen Neuroscience and Professor Emeritus at Scripps Research. She talks about generating gametes from the functionally extinct northern white rhinoceros, Aspen’s early days and its recent clinical trial results for Parkinson’s cell therapy, and sending her own stem cells into space. She also discusses the need for genetic variation in iPSC lines. (46:23) Featured Products and Resources: Help shape the future of the stem cell podcast by completing this ten-minute survey. Explore STEMCELL Technologies’ collection of technical videos and webinars on neurological disease modeling. The Stem Cell Science Round Up Lack of Evidence for Transitional Cerebellar Progenitors – New analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing refutes the existence of transitional cerebellar progenitor cells. (1:50) Organoid Vascularization – Vascularized organoids resemble human fetal lung and intestine features. (17:05) Metabolic Profiling of HSPCs – Researcher

Dr. James Briscoe is a Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute and Editor-In-Chief of Development. His lab uses an interdisciplinary approach, including mice, chicks, and other models, to study developmental dynamics. He discusses his lab's work on human trunk formation and his role as an Editor-In-Chief.