National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia

Scientists boost 'tiny batteries' within our cells in hopes of slowing effects of aging Scientists at Texas A&M have developed a method to recharge aging cells in hopes of helping people fight diseases and physical deterioration as they grow older.

‘Scientists boost tiny batteries within our cells in hopes of slowing effects of aging’ – US researchers rejuvenate old/damaged human cells by replacing their mitochondria: 13wham.com/news/nation-...
Paper: doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
See also @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...

The ISSCR and STEMCELL Technologies have launched Applying the ISSCR Standards for Research, a free, on-demand course designed to help scientists integrate the ISSCR Standards for Human Stem Cell Use in Research into their work. Learn more and take the course today👉 https://bit.ly/4aCuhzJ

ISSCR President Hideyuki Okano shares how the #ISSCR2026 Annual Meeting comes at a transformative time in the stem cell field, as therapies are approaching the clinic. Learn about the Presidential Symposium speakers and more: https://bit.ly/4aGimB5

Congratulations to Professor Jose Polo, our inaugural Metcalf Prize winner (2021), for securing funding under the Australian Research Council 2026 Discovery Project scheme @embl.org 👉 emblaustralia.org/grant-succes...
Here's why we supported him: stemcellfoundation.net.au/jose_polo_sh...

FDA approves first stem cell therapy to treat severe aplastic anemia - UPI.com The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of the first hematopoietic stem cell transplant therapy to treat patients with rare but severe aplastic anemia.

‘FDA approves first stem cell therapy to treat severe aplastic anemia’ – United Press International reports on US Food and Drug Administration announcement: www.upi.com/Health_News/...

Thousands join stem cell donor roll but still no match for Rowan Rowan Tong-Law, 18, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia last year and has been searching for a full stem cell donor match.

‘Young people urged to join stem cell donor roll with full matches hard to come by’ – Great @abcnewsaustralia.bsky.social article and a reminder for young people aged 18 to 35 to join the stem cell donor registry, to help Rowan and others like him: www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...

Chinese scientists develop promising stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s New biotech allows ‘seeds’ planted in the brain to differentiate into new nerve cells, reshaping its neural network.

‘Chinese scientists develop promising stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease’ – @scmpnews.bsky.social reports on ‘an ultra-efficient stem cell approach’ to the neurological disease involving a clinical trial by First Affiliated Hospital of USTC: scmp.com/news/china/s...

‘The Year in Cell Biology: 2025’ – Journal of Cell Biology wraps up the year with 13 of the ‘most impactful papers’, including how sphingolipid metabolism regulates stem cell function: rupress.org/jcb/collecti...

The functional principles of eye evolution: Light-sensitive stem cells provide new insight A new study, led by the University of Vienna and the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven, shows how the eyes of adult marine bristleworms continue to grow throughout life—driven by a ring of neura...

‘The functional principles of eye evolution: Light-sensitive stem cells provide new insight’ – study reveals ‘a ring of neural stem cells’, responsive to light, drive eye growth throughout the life of marine bristleworms: phys.org/news/2025-12...
Paper: doi.org/10.1038/s414...
@univie.ac.at

‘Mini lung organoids made in bulk could help test personalised cancer treatments’ – Researchers in Germany find ‘a simple, automated way’ of making lung organoids: oncologynews.com.au/latest-news/...
Paper: doi.org/10.3389/fbio...
@unidue.bsky.social

👩‍🚀 What are the health effects of space on astronauts? Our Catriona Jamieson, MD, PhD, sheds light on the topic in a new @cp-cellstemcell.bsky.social article. Her work — the 1st comprehensive study of stem cell health in astronauts — provides answers NASA Twins couldn't: bit.ly/3KsuyLe

Zapping stem cells could boost growth of new tissues and organs Scientists in Melbourne have discovered how tiny electrical pulses can steer stem cells as they grow, opening the door to new improved ways of creating new tissues, organs, nerves and bones.

‘Zapping stem cells could boost growth of new tissues and organs’ – Scientists at Melbourne’s RMIT University uncover how ‘tiny electrical pulses can steer stem cells as they grow’: phys.org/news/2025-12...
Paper – doi.org/10.1002/admi...

9 medical breakthroughs that gave us hope in 2025 From custom gene editing to a discovery that could help stop pancreatic cancer before it starts, these advances offer a glimpse at the future of human health.

‘9 medical breakthroughs that gave us hope in 2025’ – Nat Geo gives a nod to ‘giant leaps in regenerative medicine’: use of stem cells to create ureter tissue and an implantable heart patch: www.nationalgeographic.com/health/artic...
Papers:
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
doi.org/10.1038/s414...

New ‘off-the-shelf’ pancreatic cancer therapy able to hunt down tumors — even after they spread: study Scientists at UCLA have developed an “off-the-shelf” cell-based immunotherapy that was able to track down and kill pancreatic cancer cells even after they had spread to other …

‘New off-the-shelf pancreatic cancer therapy able to hunt down tumors — even after they spread: study’ – UCLA researchers build therapy by turning ‘human stem cells into an invariant natural killer T cell’: nypost.com/2025/12/01/h...
Paper: doi.org/10.1073/pnas...

First-of-Its-Kind Treatment Boosts Vision in Human Trial, Scientists Report Taking a photo of a friend? You've probably got their face centered and focused.

‘First-of-Its-Kind Treatment Boosts Vision in Human Trial, Scientists Report’ – clinical trial of ‘a treatment based on stem cell transplants’ for people with dry age-related macular degeneration: sciencealert.com/first-of-its...
@umich.edu
Paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.st...

Seventh patient ‘cured’ of HIV: why scientists are excited A man in Germany is HIV-free after receiving stem cells that are not resistant to the virus.

‘Seventh patient cured of HIV: why scientists are excited' – A 60-year old man in Germany is ‘at least the seventh person with HIV to be announced free of the virus after receiving a stem cell transplant’: doi.org/10.1038/d415...
@nature.com
#stemcell #stemcellscience #medicalresearch #HIV

Hunter syndrome: Boy with rare condition amazes doctors after world-first gene therapy Oliver has an inherited condition called Hunter syndrome, which causes progressive damage to the body and brain.

‘Boy with rare condition amazes doctors after world-first gene therapy’ – BBC case study, spanning more than a year, follows world-first gene therapy for a boy with Hunter syndrome, starting with stem cells harvested from his blood: www.bbc.com/news/article...

We're on the brink of curing arthritis. Here's how | BBC Science Focus Magazine We might finally be able to spot osteoarthritis early… and bring it to a halt. First, we need to agree on what it actually is.

‘We're on the brink of curing arthritis. Here's how’ – Interesting read in BBC Science Focus Magazine on research into diagnosis and potential treatments for osteoarthritis, including use of stem cells and human clinical trials in the UK: www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-bo...

How stem cell therapy can regenerate brain tissue after a stroke For decades, stroke damage was though to be irreversible.

‘How stem cell therapy can regenerate brain tissue after a stroke’ - @theconversation.com article concludes: “Many challenges are yet to be solved, but each new advance reminds us of something essential: not only can the brain learn, it can also be repaired.” 👏 theconversation.com/how-stem-cel...

Stem cells from body fat may repair spinal fractures - UPI.com A team at Osaka Metropolitan University found that stem cells from fat tissue can repair breaks similar to those common in people with the bone-weakening disease osteoporosis.

‘Stem cells from body fat may repair spinal fractures’ – Japanese team finds ‘stem cells from fat tissue can repair breaks similar to those common in people with the bone-weakening disease osteoporosis’: www.upi.com/Health_News/...
Paper: doi.org/10.1302/2046...

The magic of the world's rarest blood type Only one in every six million people have the Rh null blood type. Now researchers are trying to grow it in the laboratory in the hope it could save lives.

‘The magic of the world's rarest blood type’ – BBC News reports on ways scientists are trying to replicate Rh null blood type aka ‘golden blood’, including use of stem cells: www.bbc.com/future/artic...

Mornings - ABC listen Informed, entertaining, thought-provoking radio that asks the questions that Melbourne wants asked.

During her teens, Maria turned her attention to science. “When I spent a lot of time with people who were musicians and artists who were struggling with mental illness, I knew that I wanted to do something to help these individuals.” Listen from 2:19:28 www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Our #MetcalfPrize winner Maria Di Biase @unimelb.bsky.social is full of surprises. On ABC Melbourne Mornings with Raf Epstein
🎙️Raf: “What did you want to be when you were a kid?”
🎸Maria: “I wanted to be a rock star!”

Why she's a stem cell rock star: www.stemcellfoundation.net.au/maria_di_bia...

Hear from our 2025 #MetcalfPrizes winners – Dr Maria Di Biase and Dr Lachlan Harris – on ABC Radio Gold Coast Drive with Bern Young. Listen from 43.51 on yesterday’s show: www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
@qimrb.bsky.social @unimelb.bsky.social @asscr.bsky.social

Meet the winners of our 2025 Metcalf Prizes for Stem Cell Research: stemcellfoundation.net.au/2025_metcalf...
🧠 Dr Maria Di Biase @unimelb.bsky.social
🧠 Dr Lachlan Harris @qimrb.bsky.social
They're already making headlines ahead of the award ceremony on the Gold Coast today. @asscr.bsky.social

‘Scientists discover new way to shape what a stem cell becomes’ – How do stem cells know what to become? New @colorado.edu study offers key insights: www.eurekalert.org/news-release...
Paper: doi.org/10.1038/s415...

👻 No tricks, just good science and lots of treats - 10 days till #ASSCR2025 on the Gold Coast!
Registrations close soon!
www.asscrmeeting.com.au/registration

Please join us for the last Stem Cell Conversation for 2025!
Join us to celebrate an amazing year of conversations and hear some highlights from the ASSCR NSW and VIC EMCR Symposia: Exploring Retinal Disease and Infection-Driven Colonic Repair

See you Wednesday 5/11/25 at 11-11:30 AM AEDT.

Could stem cell therapy help keep weak hearts beating after a heart at Could stem cell therapy help keep weak hearts beating after a heart attack? Patients with weak heart function who receive stem cell therapy shortly after a heart attack are at a lower risk

‘Could stem cell therapy help keep weak hearts beating after a heart attack?’ – Results of an international clinical trial: www.scimex.org/newsfeed/cou...
Paper: doi.org/10.1136/bmj-...

‘A medical miracle’: is period blood ‘the most overlooked opportunity’ in women’s health? Period blood has long been thought of as ‘stinky and useless’, but startups are exploring using the fluid to test for a wide range of health conditions – including difficult-to-diagnose endometriosis

‘A medical miracle: is period blood the most overlooked opportunity in women’s health?’ – @theguardian.com an
on potential use of menstrual blood samples in medical research, quoting our Board member Prof Caroline Gargett, who discovered endometrial stem cells: www.theguardian.com/society/ng-i...