National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia

We’re looking for the next Metcalf Prize winners – up-and-coming researchers with big ideas. Two prizes worth $60,000 each will be awarded to one male and one female mid-career stem cell scientist. Nominations close 11 August. Please share widely: www.stemcellfoundation.net.au/metcalf_prizes

Scientists discover less invasive way to collect babies’ stem cells “We can then turn those cells into beating heart cells and use them later in treating congenital heart defects,” the study’s senior author said.

‘Scientists discover less invasive way to collect babies’ stem cells’ – University of Colorado researchers show amniotic fluid stem cells can be safely collected from vaginal fluid after childbirth: www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
Paper: doi.org/10.1093/stcl...

This Fish Can Regrow Its Hearing Cells – And Scientists Just Found Out How Zebrafish can regrow hearing cells we can't, and scientists have just found two genes that may explain how. This discovery could pave the way for future therapies to reverse hearing loss in humans.

‘This Fish Can Regrow Its Hearing Cells – And Scientists Just Found Out How’ – @stowersinstitute.bsky.social team pinpoints two specific genes behind zebra fish regeneration, guiding future research to treat hearing loss in humans: scitechdaily.com/this-fish-ca...
Paper: doi.org/10.1038/s414...

Novel, Less Toxic, Stem Cell Transplant Prep Yields Successful Outcomes An antibody treatment successfully prepared patients for stem cell transplants without toxic chemotherapy or radiation.

‘Novel, Less Toxic, Stem Cell Transplant Prep Yields Successful Outcomes’ – @stanfordmedicine.bsky.social clinical trial results of antibody treatment hold promise for patients with genetic diseases: www.genengnews.com/topics/trans...
Paper: doi.org/10.1038/s415...

Stem cells from extracted wisdom teeth are like "medical gold," able to treat multiple diseases Scientists discover that dental pulp stem cells from wisdom teeth could regenerate neurons and bones and offer treatments for many diseases.

‘Stem cells from extracted wisdom teeth are like "medical gold," able to treat multiple diseases’ – University of Basque Country team turns dental pulp cells from wisdom teeth (biological waste) into neuron-like cells: www.earth.com/news/dental-...
Paper: doi.org/10.1186/s132...
@ehu.eus

Frontiers | Global Clinical Trials on Stem Cell Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases: Trends and Future Directions Background: Autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn's disease (CD) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), lead to progressive multi-organ damage due to immune dy...

‘Global Clinical Trials on Stem Cell Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases: Trends and Future Directions’ – article on trial trends and challenges of stem cell therapy in diseases including Crohn’s diseases and systemic lupus erythematosus: www.frontiersin.org/journals/imm...

Gwada-negative: the rarest blood group on Earth Scientists find 48th blood group in woman with no compatible donors.

‘Gwada-negative: the rarest blood group on Earth’ – French Blood Establishment (EFS) discovers the 48th recognised blood group system, found in one woman, with potential for cell-based therapies: theconversation.com/gwada-negati...

New Type of Intestinal Stem Cell Discovered, Offering Hope for Enhanced Regeneration and Chemotherapy Recovery | HiLIFE – Helsinki Institute of Life Science | University of Helsinki A team of researchers from the University of Helsinki has discovered a previously unknown type of intestinal stem cell, which supports intestinal regeneration through its metabolically distinct mitoch...

‘New Type of Intestinal Stem Cell Discovered, Offering Hope for Enhanced Regeneration and Chemotherapy Recovery’ – @helsinki.fi team discovery holds hope for chemoprotective treatments especially for elderly patients’: www.helsinki.fi/en/hilife-he...
Paper: doi.org/10.1038/s422...

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Mission Gears Up for Space Station Research - NASA A host of scientific investigations await the crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission during their long-duration expedition aboard the International Space

‘Making more stem cells: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Mission Gears Up for Space Station Research’ – StemCellEx-IP1 study will evaluate if microgravity can generate 1000 x more stem cells – of higher quality – than on Earth, with potential to improve future patient outcomes: www.nasa.gov/missions/sta...

Scientists Create First Integrated Map of Blood Stem Cell Metabolism Scientists created the first integrated map detailing the metabolic and molecular changes in human blood stem cells as they age, specialize or turn cancerous.

‘Scientists Create First Integrated Map of Blood Stem Cell Metabolism’ – Researchers from @mpi-ie.bsky.social and @ethz.ch track how nutrients and lipids shape bone marrow blood stem cells from health to aging and leukemia: www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/scie...

‘Scientists unlock ancient cellular wisdom of brain stem cells, offering hope for brain cancer and degenerative disease’ – 9News reports on @qimrb.bsky.social and @crick.ac.uk findings: www.facebook.com/share/v/18vR...
Full story: www.scimex.org/newsfeed/sci...
Paper: doi.org/10.1126/scia...

Mayo Clinic Uncovers First Warning Signs of Ovarian Cancer Early fallopian tube cell changes were found in a high‑risk patient. A live tissue bank and organoid system will help explore initial ovarian cancer development. Very little is currently understood ab...

‘Mayo Clinic Uncovers First Warning Signs of Ovarian Cancer’ – development of a living fallopian tube biobank enables studies into the origins of ovarian cancer at the cellular level: scitechdaily.com/mayo-clinic-...
@mayoclinic.org

Scientists Improve Liver Organoids for Research Into Hemophilia Researchers have created liver tissue that grows its own blood vessels, improving research into hemophilia and liver damage.

‘Scientists Improve Liver Organoids for Research Into Hemophilia’ – @cincychildrens.bsky.social team creates liver tissue that grows its own blood vessels: www.technologynetworks.com/cell-science...
Paper: doi.org/10.1038/s415...

How an Australian mammary scientist’s own placentas ended up in a Danish museum Our mission is to promote the study and use of stem cells in the prevention or control of disease in human beings and to enhance public education in this field.

We’re looking for our next Metcalf Prize winners. For inspiration, we caught up with 2019 alumna Felicity Davis who now leads a lab in Denmark. Read why the mammary biologist and mother of twins donated placentas to a museum: www.stemcellfoundation.net.au/metcalfs_fel...
@novo-nordisk.bsky.social

Lab-grown sperm and eggs just a few years away, scientists say Quest to create viable human sex cells in lab progressing rapidly, with huge implications for reproduction

‘Lab-grown sperm and eggs just a few years away, scientists say’ – The Guardian reports on progress of reprogramming skin or blood cells into primordial germ cells (precursors to eggs and sperm): www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
@eshre.bsky.social @osakauniversity.bsky.social

Could a Common Blood Mutation Be the Key to Preventing Alzheimer’s? Unexpected mutations in blood stem cells may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease. A new study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell suggests that certain genetic changes in blood stem cells may...

‘Could a Common Blood Mutation Be the Key to Preventing Alzheimer’s?’ – Baylor College of Medicine researchers discover ‘unexpected mutations’ in blood stem cells may offer protection against late onset of the disease: scitechdaily.com/could-a-comm...
Paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.st...

Early Neurodevelopment of Extremely Preterm Infants Administered Autologous Cord Blood Cell Therapy

Secondary Analysis of CORD-SaFe study now out in @jamanetworkopen.com

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

@drabdulrazak.bsky.social @courtney-mcdonald.bsky.social @hudsonresearch.bsky.social

QIMR Berghofer scientist James Hudson awarded prestigious Jacques Miller Medal for cardiac bioengineering breakthroughs

Lab-grown ‘tiny hearts’ bring hope for children and adults with genetic heart disease:
2019 #MetcalfPrizes winner James Hudson @qimrb.bsky.social has developed 3D heart tissues or 'cardiac organoids' that mimic adult human heart muscle.
qimrb.edu.au/whats-on/new...
Paper: nature.com/articles/s44...

Applications for two $60,000 #MetcalfPrizes for Stem Cell Research Are now open.
Do you know a rising star of Australian stem cell science? Encourage them to apply.
Please share widely. #MetcalfPrizes
stemcellfoundation.net.au/metcalf_prizes

Space-grown muscle tissues reveal rapid aging-like decline in microgravity Sarcopenia, which is a progressive and extensive decline in muscle mass and strength, is common with aging and is estimated to affect up to 50% of people aged 80 and older. It can lead to disability a...

‘Space-grown muscle tissues reveal rapid aging-like decline in microgravity’ – University of Florida team engineers skeletal muscle microtissues from donor biopsies and launches them to the International Space Station to study sarcopenia: phys.org/news/2025-06...
Paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.st...

3D printed pancreas cells the future of diabetes treatment Scientists have 3D printed human pancreatic islet cells in what they claim is a critical step toward personalised, implantable therapies for diabetes.

‘3D printed pancreas cells could be the future of diabetes treatment3D printed pancreas cells could be the future of diabetes treatment’ – Cosmos Magazine reports on 'a critical step toward personalised, implantable diabetes therapies': cosmosmagazine.com/health/medic...

Congratulations to our 2024 Metcalf Prize winner Dr William Roman and his team 👏 @williamroman.bsky.social @monashuniversity.bsky.social @emblaustralia.org @armilabs.bsky.social
Find out why we backed him: www.stemcellfoundation.net.au/william_roma...

New Treatment May Cure Severe Type 1 Diabetes, Study Finds A dozen volunteers with severe type 1 diabetes showed clear improvements in their condition 12 months after receiving a revolutionary stem cell treatment, with all but two dropping their insulin thera...

‘New Treatment May Cure Severe Type 1 Diabetes, Study Finds’ – results of a small, two-phase clinical trial of stem cell therapy developed by Boston-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals: www.sciencealert.com/new-treatmen...
Paper: doi.org/10.1056/NEJM...
@uoft.bsky.social

‘Super-healing’ animals inspire human treatments Studies of the regenerative powers of worms, zebrafish and lizards suggest ways to improve recovery in people.

‘Super-healing animals inspire human treatments’ – round-up of findings presented at #ISSCR2025 Annual Meeting in Hong Kong @isscr.org on regenerative powers of worms, zebrafish and lizards: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Cybec Foundation funding for Associate Professor Katie Ayers - Murdoch Children's Research Institute MCRI-led research by Associate Professor Katie Ayers receives Cybec Foundation funding to study reproductive organ development. Read more.

Great to see @mcri.bsky.social A/Prof Katie Ayers, who we supported through our Matched Funding Program in collaboration with the Cybec Foundation, has secured a funding boost: www.mcri.edu.au/news/awards/...
Here's why we backed her: www.stemcellfoundation.net.au/katie_ayers_...

Tiny warriors to the rescue! 💥

Matched stem cells from healthy newborns donated at birth now being trialed to help preterm babies with severe brain injury @monashuniversity.bsky.social

Protocol just out
@atulmalhotra.bsky.social @courtney-mcdonald.bsky.social
bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjo...

Congratulations to Professor Mark Dawson @petermaccc.bsky.social for winning the ASH William Dameshek Prize 👏 He also recently joined our 'Making cancer treatment worth it' forum hosted by @natashamitchell.bsky.social: www.stemcellfoundation.net.au/watch_making...
www.hematology.org/newsroom/pre...

How hair follicles sense their environment Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered how cells responsible for hair growth perceive physical forces in their environment and utilize that information to regulate their growth, according to...

‘How hair follicles sense their environment’ – US researchers reveal how hair follicle stem cells use physical forces for hair growth, opening 'new possibilities for manipulating stem cell behavior in regenerative medicine and aging research’: phys.org/news/2025-06...
Paper: doi.org/10.1126/scia...

This common molecule reverses muscle ageing and prevents frailty, scientists find Single dose of treatment could be sufficient to restore muscle function, researchers say

‘This common molecule could reverse muscle ageing and prevent frailty, scientists say’ – UK’s The Independent newspaper reports on new study that shows a naturally occurring molecule, PGE2, may counteract stem cell ageing: www.independent.co.uk/news/science...
Paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.st...

Rapid Formation of Vascular Organoids from iPSCs via TF Activation A dual transcription factor activation method enables rapid generation of vascular organoids, accelerating modeling and therapy development.

‘Rapid Formation of Vascular Organoids from iPSCs via TF Activation’ – International team presents streamlined method to form vascular organoids from iPSCs: www.genengnews.com/topics/trans...
Paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.st...
@harvardmed.bsky.social @bostonchildrens.bsky.social @pku1898.bsky.social