Tag Archives: stem cells

More Than Skin Deep

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HHMI Bulletin | May 2007

Elaine Fuchs used to do crossword puzzles as a diversion from her undergraduate studies. With crosswords, every solved clue creates new hints to help solve neighboring clues. Fuchs, an HHMI investigator at The Rockefeller University, has followed a similar approach throughout her professional life. By honing each experimental finding into a new set of tools, she has probed deeper into the question that first piqued her curiosity three decades ago.  read in full issue (pdf)

A Pluripotent Stew

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HHMI Bulletin | February 2007

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are plain enough to look at, forming a nondescript clump within the hollow ball of an early embryo. But that generic character is key to their magical rejuvenating potential. Unlike all other cells, which are preordained toward a specialized form and function, ES cells have a clean slate. The developing embryo can mold them into any cell type it needs. 

The Fate of Brain Cells

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HHMI Bulletin | December 2005

A fountain of youth springs from within the brain of every mammal, report HHMI investigator Alexandra L. Joyner and her former postdoctoral associate Sohyun Ahn in the October 6, 2005, issue of Nature. No, the two researchers haven’t unlocked the secret to immortality. But their discovery of a method to visualize an elusive population of stem cells that has the potential to regenerate nerves and other brain cells may explain how certain regions of the brain rejuvenate themselves. Moreover, the findings may allow researchers to tap the revitalizing powers of stem cells for repairing injured and diseased brain tissue.
read in full issue (pdf)

Margaret Goodell, Ph.D. Banking on Bone Marrow

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MDA Quest Magazine | November 2005

“It’s a way to get at virtually all of the muscles in the body, not just the major ones that we can see. Every muscle fiber is fed by the bloodstream in one way or another, so if you can really get something delivered through the bloodstream rather than in some localized way, it’s potentially a very powerful therapy.”  read story

A Key in Search of a Lock

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HHMI Bulletin | September 2003

One of Sheng Ding’s favorite activities outside the lab is scrambling up the twisted granite boulders of Southern California’s Joshua Tree National Park. By finding just the right combination of grips, foot placements, and body English, Ding can mold his body to the cracks and outcroppings, surmounting virtually any obstacle he encounters.  read in full issue (pdf)