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Lisa Nguyen (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for Meet PhD student Lisa Nguyen, presenter at the ISSCR 2017 Annual Meeting

Meet PhD student Lisa Nguyen, presenter at the ISSCR 2017 Annual Meeting

Ask Lisa Nguyen what gets her blood racing, and her answer will be hematopoietic stem cells, or HSCs. She’ll be presenting about HSCs, which form the blood and immune systems, at the …

A window into the mammalian middle ear (Image by Camilla Teng/Crump Lab); featured image for Researchers listen to zebrafish to understand human hearing loss

Researchers listen to zebrafish to understand human hearing loss

Can a fish with a malformed jaw tell us something about hearing loss in mice and humans? The answer is yes, according to a new publication in Scientific Reports.

Clockwise from top left: Andy McMahon, Rohit Varma, Jonathan Samet and Donna Spruijt-Metz (Photos courtesy of USC); featured image for NIH funding helps Americans live longer and healthier

NIH funding helps Americans live longer and healthier

The nation’s medical research agency, the National Institutes of Health, funds research to help Americans live longer and healthier. Some 148 Nobel Prize winners have received support from the NIH, demonstrating how …

Kidney organoid (Image by Tracy Tran/McMcMahon Lab); featured image for USC’s stem cell scientists secure the dollars to fight disease

USC’s stem cell scientists secure the dollars to fight disease

The price of progress is not only the energy and talent of stem cell scientists, but also the research dollars that support their discoveries. In recent months, faculty members have secured numerous …

Jay R. Lieberman (Photo by Les Dunseith); featured image for Jay R. Lieberman receives $2.2 million NIH grant to fund research on healing difficult bone injuries

Jay R. Lieberman receives $2.2 million NIH grant to fund research on healing difficult bone injuries

Jay R. Lieberman, chair and professor of orthopedic surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California has received a five-year, $2.2 million grant from the National Institutes …

Albina Ibrayeva; featured image for Meet PhD student Albina Ibrayeva, presenter at the ISSCR 2017 Annual Meeting

Meet PhD student Albina Ibrayeva, presenter at the ISSCR 2017 Annual Meeting

What happens to the stem cells in our brains as we age? Albina Ibrayeva, a PhD student in the USC Stem Cell laboratory of Michael Bonaguidi, will address this question in a …

From left, D'Juan Farmer and Gage Crump (Photo by Cristy Lytal)

Stem cell scientist D’Juan Farmer named inaugural Choi Family Postdoctoral Fellow at USC

D’Juan Farmer grew up in a neighborhood where attending college—let alone pursuing a PhD or postdoctoral training—was not the expectation. Now, he’s earned the inaugural Choi Family Postdoctoral Fellowship, which provides support …

Microglia, or immune cells in the brain, could play a role in Alzheimer’s disease. (Image by Valerie Hennes/Ichida Lab); featured image for USC Stem Cell scientist Justin Ichida explores Alzheimer’s disease, with support from the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation

USC Stem Cell scientist Justin Ichida explores Alzheimer’s disease, with support from the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation

About 15 percent of the cells in our brains are scavengers—roving immune cells known as microglia that remove infectious agents, damaged neurons and plaques. USC Stem Cell scientist Justin Ichida is taking …

Graduates of the master of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine program, with faculty director Henry Sucov (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for “Science does not end with discovery,” graduates told

“Science does not end with discovery,” graduates told

An excited crowd of family and friends gathered at the Galen Center on the University Park Campus May 13 to celebrate the commencement of nearly 400 PhD and master’s degree candidates from …

From left, Chukuemeka Ogudu and Kory Hamane (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for Countdown to Commencement: Future Doctor Chukuemeka Ogudu—from Nigeria to America

Countdown to Commencement: Future Doctor Chukuemeka Ogudu—from Nigeria to America

How far would you go to provide a better life for your family or your country? Chukuemeka Ogudu or, as his friends know him, Emeka, moved to America to become a doctor. …

From left, Nelson Poliran Jr. and Charles Bramlett (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for Countdown to Commencement: Nelson Poliran Jr.—failure driven success

Countdown to Commencement: Nelson Poliran Jr.—failure driven success

“Focus on one goal, be open minded and be persistent.” These are wise words from Nelson Poliran Jr., a standout scientist-in-training at USC. Poliran’s academic success hasn’t always come easily, though.

From right, Nicole Koutsodendris and Ila Dwivedi (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for Countdown to Commencement: Nicole Koutsodendris aims to succeed where neurological medications fail

Countdown to Commencement: Nicole Koutsodendris aims to succeed where neurological medications fail

“Anti-psychotic medications can numb you to the point where you no longer have your own thoughts,” said Nicole Koutsodendris, who is graduating from the master’s program in stem cell biology and regenerative …

Barbara Kolo and Andy McMahon (Photo by Richard Carrasco); featured image for Artist plus researcher equals infinite inspiration at the Keck School of Medicine of USC

Artist plus researcher equals infinite inspiration at the Keck School of Medicine of USC

What happens when you pair 14 artists with 14 USC biomedical researchers? The answer is currently on display at the Hoyt Gallery on the Health Sciences Campus of the Keck School of …

Megan McCain (Photo by Will Taylor); featured image for Megan McCain appointed to Chonette Early Career Chair

Megan McCain appointed to Chonette Early Career Chair

Megan McCain, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, and stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, has been honored with the Chonette Early Career Chair at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. As an …

Zea Borok (Photo by Ricardo Carrasco III); featured image for $6.9 million NIH award will promote lung cell regeneration research

$6.9 million NIH award will promote lung cell regeneration research

Zea Borok, professor of medicine, chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine and director of the Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research at the Keck School of Medicine of …

Leonardo Morsut (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for From professional volleyball to stem cell biology, Leonardo Morsut is at the top of his game

From professional volleyball to stem cell biology, Leonardo Morsut is at the top of his game

For USC Stem Cell researcher Leonardo Morsut, the word “set” refers to a collection of scientific data. “Set” is also the prelude to spiking a volleyball over the net—something he used to do for a living as a professional athlete in Italy.

Newly regenerated muscle fibers (Image courtesy of Joseph T. Rodgers); featured image for Alerting stem cells to hurry up and heal

Alerting stem cells to hurry up and heal

Accelerated healing isn’t just for superheroes. A new study in Cell Reports suggests a way that mere mortals can potentially speed their recovery from a wide variety of injuries. “Our research shows …

Gage Crump; featured image for University honors Gage Crump and other faculty for mentorship

University honors Gage Crump and other faculty for mentorship

USC Stem Cell scientist Gage Crump is one of seven faculty members with ties to the Health Sciences Campus receiving USC Mentoring Awards. The awards recognize faculty who exemplify the best in …

Valter Longo (Photo by John Skalicky); featured image for Drugs widely used in cancer therapy increase toxicity of chemotherapy in mice

Drugs widely used in cancer therapy increase toxicity of chemotherapy in mice

A short-term fast appears to counteract increases in blood sugar caused by common cancer drugs and protect healthy cells in mice from becoming too vulnerable to chemotherapy, according to new research by …

Yang Chai (Photo courtesy of the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC); featured image for USC researchers close to identifying crucial gene for human cleft lip and palate

USC researchers close to identifying crucial gene for human cleft lip and palate

A group of researchers has found that three siblings born with cleft lip and palate share a common gene mutation associated with the birth defect. The gene intraflagellar transport 88 (IFT88) ensures …