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Amy Merrill-Brugger (Photo courtesy of the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC); featured image for Amy Merrill-Brugger receives funding to dig into craniofacial development

Amy Merrill-Brugger receives funding to dig into craniofacial development

Amy Merrill PhD ’04 has recently received an eight-year grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AMY MERRILL is driven by the desire to impact clinical care …

A stem cell innovator focusing on repairing the heart, Chuck Murry (second from right) shares his expertise in biomedical science. (Photo/Steve Cohn); featured image for Chuck Murry: Stem cell science for healing the heart

Chuck Murry: Stem cell science for healing the heart

Success in Chuck Murry’s vision for regenerating heart tissue to restore function after a heart attack would look like a radical shift in the medical landscape. Ironically enough, he chalks up his …

(Photo courtesy of iStock); featured image for Severe COVID-19 infection increases heart attack and stroke risk as much as having a history of heart disease, study finds

Severe COVID-19 infection increases heart attack and stroke risk as much as having a history of heart disease, study finds

Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC, UCLA and Cleveland Clinic studied the link between COVID-19 and major cardiac events, finding an increased risk that varied by blood type. Patients …

; featured image for 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

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 …

Image/iStock; featured image for USC launches collaboration with StemCardia to advance heart regeneration therapies

USC launches collaboration with StemCardia to advance heart regeneration therapies

The new initiative brings together renowned experts at a researcher-founded biotechnology company with Keck School of Medicine experts to develop innovative solutions for heart failure, the global leading cause of death. The …

Photo/iStock; featured image for An early blood test can predict survival in patients with metastatic prostate cancer, shows USC study

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 …

; featured image for Wnt happens in kidney development?

Wnt happens in kidney development?

A pair of USC Stem Cell mouse studies detail how progenitor cells self-renew, differentiate, and aggregate into early kidney structures, offering insights for the creation of stem cell-based artificial kidneys. A group …

COMPASS cohort (Photo by Cristy Lytal); featured image for USC COMPASS undergraduate program prepares juniors and seniors for stem cell careers

USC COMPASS undergraduate program prepares juniors and seniors for stem cell careers

For 20 undergraduate students at USC, stem cell research is more than the topic of a lecture or an article in a textbook. It’s the focus of a comprehensive two-year program designed …

Following an acute kidney injury, damaged cells interact within disease-promoting microenvironments, a process linked to a progression to chronic kidney disease. (Image by Michal Polonsky/Caltech); featured image for New study shows cells get involved in unhealthy relationships after acute kidney injury (AKI) in mice

New study shows cells get involved in unhealthy relationships after acute kidney injury (AKI) in mice

Using cutting-edge technology, researchers at USC and Caltech develop a comprehensive map of cellular, molecular, and structural changes following AKI, revealing cellular interactions that may lead to chronic kidney disease. A study …

Charles (Chuck) Murry (Photo by Gavin Sisk/ University of Washington); featured image for USC Stem Cell welcomes new leader, renowned physician-scientist Chuck Murry

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 …

Poster session at the 2024 CIRM Trainee Network Conference at USC's Town and Gown (Photo by Sergio Bianco)

USC-hosted CIRM conference welcomes stem cell trainees from across California

At the inaugural California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Trainee Network Conference, over 400 students and postdocs from across California gathered for three days of learning, networking, and career development on USC’s …

In specialized kidney cells that filter the blood (podocytes), both mouse and human cells express the gene MAFB (red) but the human kidney disease associated gene PLA2R1 is only active in human cells (green). (Image by Sunghyun Kim/McMahon lab); featured image for USC Stem Cell study maps how genes instruct kidneys to develop differently in mice and humans

USC Stem Cell study maps how genes instruct kidneys to develop differently in mice and humans

How similar is kidney development in humans and in the lab mice that form the foundation of basic medical research? In a new study published in Developmental Cell, USC Stem Cell scientists …

The B cell research is an important advance in treating conditions ranging from Alzheimer’s to arthritis. (Illustration/iStock); featured image for USC researchers turn the body’s B cells into tiny surveillance machines, antibody factories

USC researchers turn the body’s B cells into tiny surveillance machines, antibody factories

The technology could be used to treat or prevent chronic diseases or infections such as HIV. USC scientists have discovered a way to turn the body’s B cells into tiny surveillance machines …

Bangyan L. Stiles, a USC faculty member since 2005, has been named the Boyd P. and Elsie D. Welin Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. (Photo by Ed Carreon); featured image for Bangyan L. Stiles Awarded Boyd P. and Elsie D. Welin Professorship of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Bangyan L. Stiles Awarded Boyd P. and Elsie D. Welin Professorship of Pharmaceutical Sciences

The five-year appointment became effective July 1, 2024. Bangyan L. Stiles, professor of pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences, has been named the Boyd P. and Elsie D. Welin Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The …

New pilot grants will forge collaborations between researchers at Keck School of Medicine of USC and the Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering. (Image courtesy of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering); featured image for Forging research partnerships for future medical breakthroughs

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 …

The kidney contains macula densa cells, which orchestrate kidney regeneration.; featured image for To regenerate the kidney, please don’t pass the salt

To regenerate the kidney, please don’t pass the salt

USC study showing loss of salt and body fluid stimulates kidney regeneration in mice, suggests new therapeutic approach to chronic kidney disease. A loss of salt and body fluid can stimulate kidney …

Keyue Shen; featured image for Unraveling the mysteries of stem cells

Unraveling the mysteries of stem cells

New research harnesses machine learning and imaging to give unprecedented insight into stem cell behavior that could enable future lifesaving therapies. Stem cells are like the emergency tool kit of the human …

Researcher in the lab (Photo by Chris Shinn); featured image for 2024 Call for Applications: NIH T32 PhD Fellowships in Developmental Biology, Stem Cells, and Regeneration

2024 Call for Applications: NIH T32 PhD Fellowships in Developmental Biology, Stem Cells, and Regeneration

All PhD students who are conducting research related to developmental biology, stem cell biology, and/or regenerative medicine are encouraged to apply. We have slots available for US Citizens and international students. Funding …

Paula Cannon, PhD, at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy 27th Annual Meeting in Baltimore.; featured image for USC scientist Paula Cannon takes the reins as president of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy

USC scientist Paula Cannon takes the reins as president of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy

Paula Cannon, a Distinguished Professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, heads the world’s largest organization devoted to developing next-generation therapies that address the underlying causes of disease. USC geneticist …

Clear experimental skull implant may enable functional ultrasound imaging of the brain for patients with serious head injuries. (Photo by Todd Patterson); featured image for USC researchers pioneer new brain imaging technique through clear “window” in patient’s skull

USC researchers pioneer new brain imaging technique through clear “window” in patient’s skull

In a proof-of-concept study, a research team based at the Keck School of Medicine of USC showed that functional ultrasound imaging can record brain activity through a transparent skull implant. In the …