USC team develops a powerful new analytical tool to advance CAR T cell therapy research
The comprehensive analytical platform uses laser technology to analyze CAR T cells and has already revealed ways to optimize their manufacturing, including how to identify when CAR T cells are likely to …
New “smart” immune cells: A breakthrough for long-lasting tumor destruction
USC Viterbi researchers have engineered a new immune cell that when activated by ultrasound can continuously sense and destroy cancer cells for extended periods. Imagine a super-charged immune cell that can launch …
AAAS elects Keck School of Medicine of USC molecular biologist Yali Dou as 2025 fellow
Dou has broken new ground in the basic understanding of an enzyme that can cause leukemia and other cancers, and harnessed that knowledge at USC to develop potential therapies. Molecular biologist Yali …
Two USC innovators—Preet Chaudhary and Michael Selsted—honored by the National Academy of Inventors
Harnessing the body’s natural defenses, these researchers are advancing the future of immune-based treatments to develop breakthroughs in treating diseases ranging from rheumatoid arthritis and sepsis to cancer. Two researchers from the …
Turn back the clock on aging
There’s no way to stop the march of time, but innovative research by USC scholars points the way to a longer, healthier and more vibrant life. About 10 years ago, when George …
New CRISPR toolkit to allow remote-controlled genome editing
USC Viterbi biomedical engineers harness focused ultrasound to revolutionize CRISPR’s capabilities to treat countless diseases. Thanks to CRISPR, our medical specialists will soon have unprecedented control over how they treat and prevent …
USC Stem Cell mouse study sheds light on the secret to maintaining a youthful immune system
What keeps some immune systems youthful and effective in warding off age-related diseases? In a new paper published in Cellular & Molecular Immunology, USC Stem Cell scientist Rong Lu and her collaborators …
USC’s Rong Lu and Caltech’s Michael B. Elowitz win the NIH Director’s Transformative Research Award for their new approach to study blood and immune cell production in bone marrow
Is it possible to study the production of blood and immune cells inside the bone marrow? For the first time ever, the answer is yes, thanks to a new approach pioneered by …
An early blood test can predict survival in patients with metastatic prostate cancer, shows USC study
The non-invasive test, which measures circulating tumor cells in the blood, can predict treatment response, disease progression and overall survival in men newly diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer, according to new research …
USC Stem Cell welcomes new leader, renowned physician-scientist Chuck Murry
Charles (Chuck) Murry, MD, PhD, has been appointed as the next head of USC Stem Cell. In that capacity, he will be the chair of the Department of Stem Cell Biology and …
Forging research partnerships for future medical breakthroughs
New Mann Engineering in Medicine Pilot Grants program will build ongoing research collaborations between USC Viterbi School of Engineering and Keck School of Medicine of USC. The lifesaving medical discoveries and therapeutics …
Turning a tumor’s “shield” into a weapon against itself
USC Viterbi biomedical engineers have designed a new protein that targets and disables tumor cells’ defenses while marking cancer cells for death. Tumor cells are “cunning,” according to Peter Yingxiao Wang. They …
National Academy of Inventors elects four Keck School of Medicine of USC faculty as senior members
The National Academy of Inventors (NAI), a nonprofit member organization that encourages inventors in higher education, has announced that four researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC are part of …
Nanoparticles “hitchhike” on immune cells to catch cancer metastasis early
USC Viterbi researchers have designed particles that can light up the lymph node cancer cells otherwise undetectable by MRI. Our lymph nodes are the canaries in the coal mine of our immune …
USC Stem Cell study shows how gene activity modulates the amount of immune cell production in mice
As people age or become ill, their immune systems can become exhausted and less capable of fighting off viruses such as the flu or COVID-19. In a new mouse study funded in …
USC Stem Cell study throws our understanding of gene regulation for a loop
The blueprint for human life lies within the DNA in the nucleus of each of our cells. In human cells, around six and a half feet of this genetic material must be …
Eat well, age well
Diet interacts with genetics and impacts the way we age. Here’s what USC researchers are finding out about nutrition and healthy aging. The old adage “You are what you eat” may be …
Building an Incubator for Medicine of the 21st Century
USC Stem Cell is pleased to introduce our new publication. We hope you’ll enjoy reflecting back on our history, while looking ahead to the transformative times to come. Read now at https://stemcell.keck.usc.edu/wp-content/themes/stemcell/incubator.
Illuminating cancer
Longwei Liu joins USC Viterbi and the Wang Lab to uncover the secret interactions between immune cells and cancer cells with the help of fluorescent trackers. Through the lens of a …
$2 million grant boosts technological advancements in cutting-edge cell therapy manufacturing facility
The Keck School of Medicine of USC has received $2 million from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to further augment its newly launched cGMP Laboratory, a state-of-the-art facility designed to …