Notable Research News and Publications
SCI faculty member's genome engineering technology attracts funding for start-up company
SCI member Branden Moriarity, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, has developed genome engineering technology that enables natural killer (NK) cells to be efficiently engineered as an off-the-shelf customizable cell therapy to treat solid tumor cancers. Moriarty is one of two scientific founders of Catamaran Bio, the first UMN startup to attract funding from a top-tier venture capital firm. Learn more.
SCI faculty member's research improves the process of growing heart muscle cells
SCI Faculty launch clinical trial to treat metastatic GI cancer
Stem Cell Institute faculty members Branden Moriarity, Beau Webber, and R. Scott McIvor have opened a new clinical trial for the treatment of metastatic gastrointestinal solid tumor cancer in partnership with the National Cancer Institute. Read more about this pioneering study.
American public opinion about research involving human-animal chimeric embryos
SCI faculty member Walter Low and others recently published the results of a survey that indicates that the American public is ready to accept research involving human-animal chimeric embryos (HACE) in a variety of forms. Read the paper.
SCI faculty member develops functioning 3D-printed human heart pump
SCI faculty member creates a cell line that can rapidly prodoce SARS CoV-2 spike proteins
Dr. Walter Low and Dr. Clifford Steer of the Stem Cell Institute just received confirmation of an NIH grant entitled "Generating Exogenic Hippocampal Neural Cells via Blastocyst Complementation for Transplantation in Alzheimer's Disease." Read more.
SCI faculty member explores the pathological mechanisms of chronic muscle disease
SCI faculty member Dr. Michael Kyba has developed a mouse model of fasioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), which is caused by the loss of repression of the DUX4 gene, leading to low levels of the DUX4 protein in affected individuals' muscles. The model provides new insight into the disease progression and the mechanism of muscle pathology. Read the paper.
SCI faculty are working on new diagnostics and therapeutics to address the COVID-19 outbreak
We summarize four new initiatives from SCI Faculty: Bruce Walcheck, Mark Osborn, Walter Low and Mei Bigliardi-Qi.
Perspective: SCI Faculty member comments on chimeras to solve organ shortages
SCI Faculty member engineers a model of arterial calcification
Accumulation of calcium in the vascular structures is a common process that can lead to cardiovascular disease and death. SCI Faculty member, Robert Tranquillo, PhD, has co-authored a paper describing a unique innovation aimed at speeding up the development of new therapies to manage arterial calcification. Read the paper.