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Justin Ichida‘s lab is doing groundbreaking work in the field of stem cell research. (Photo/Damon Casarez)

His race against ALS: Justin Ichida

Story courtesy of Trojan Family Magazine Justin Ichida regularly gets emails from strangers asking the same urgent question: “Will your research on ALS be done in time to save my life?” The …

As dry AMD progresses, patients perceive a dark spot obscuring the center of their vision. (Image/National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health)

New grant backs development of treatment for dry age-related macular degeneration

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) recently awarded $3.73 million to Mark Humayun, MD, PhD, University Professor of Ophthalmology, Cornelius J. Pings Chair in Biomedical Sciences, director of the USC Dr. …

Vassilios Papadopoulos and his lab researchers have found a way to produce testosterone in the lab for the first time using a combination of stem cells, human collagen, nutrients and other ingredients. (Photo by Ed Carreon)

Breakthrough in testosterone-producing cells could lead to treatment for “low T”

USC researchers have successfully grown human, testosterone-producing cells in the lab, paving the way to someday treat low testosterone with personalized replacement cells. In Monday’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists …

Giorgia Quadrato

Baxter Foundation supports research in pediatric blindness, human brain development

The Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation is supporting researchers exploring the causes of pediatric blindness and intellectual disability research by granting $100,000 awards to two assistant professors at the Keck …

Bangyan Stiles, PhD, and colleagues from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering were awarded a three-year National Institutes of Health (NIH) project grant in the amount of $636,141. Photo by Ed Carreon.

NIH grant awarded to Bangyan Stiles and colleagues

Bangyan Stiles, PhD, professor of pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences at the USC School of Pharmacy, and colleagues from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering were awarded a three-year, $636,141 National Institutes of …

From left, Lindsey Barske, Michaela Patterson, Joanna Smeeton and Kate Galloway

Meet six USC Stem Cell postdocs-turned-professors

Only 23 percent of biomedical PhD holders eventually land tenure-track faculty positions, according to a report by the National Institutes of Health Biomedical Research Workforce Working Group. Beating these odds, six postdoctoral …

USC scientists have found a solution to untangle twisty DNA, removing kinks so the molecules can be used to reprogram cells to advance regenerative medicine to treat disease. (Illustration/iStock)

USC scientists surmount big obstacle to reprogram cells

USC scientists have surmounted a big roadblock in regenerative medicine that has so far constrained the ability to use repurposed cells to treat diseases. The researchers figured out how to reprogram cells …

USC's David Hinton gives a cellular view of a stem cell-based eye implant. (Photo by Cristy Lytal)

USC public symposium illustrates how to move stem cells from Petri dish to patient

Have you ever wondered how a scientific discovery in the laboratory becomes a new medical treatment for patients in the hospital? At the public symposium “Bringing Stem Cells to Patients – Treating …

Jean Rosenbaum

France-USA Stem Cell Symposium gathers la crème de la crème

Science was the common language at the first France-USA Stem Cell Symposium, held at the Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC. The event …

DNA

Navigage, Rose Hills Foundations support Berenice Benayoun

From catching cognitive impairment earlier to understanding the genetics of age-related disease and health disparities, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology faculty conduct exciting research supported by organizations committed to helping others. …

The $10 million donation from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation will support the USC stem cell research center’s core facilities and training programs, enable recruitment and attract research funding. (Photo by Sam Comen)

$10 million gift from Broad Foundation advances USC stem cell research on aging-associated disease

USC’s groundbreaking stem cell research and training programs have received a major boost thanks to a $10 million gift from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. The donation is part of the …

Junior faculty (Photo by Sergio Bianco)

USC Stem Cell junior faculty balance babies with biomedical research

Growing stem cells isn’t just something junior faculty do in the lab. Eight of the junior faculty in the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine recently welcomed new babies into …

Embryonic stem cells that have differentiated into neurons (Image by In Kyoung Mah/Mariani Lab)

From restoring sight to reversing brain damage, USC stem cell researchers are making life-changing discoveries

If anyone has a clear vision of the power of stem cell cures, it’s Anna Kuehl. She suffered a retina-wrecking disease that cost her much of her sight before USC physicians surgically …

Eye treated for macular degeneration

RSVP for 6/26 USC Public Symposium on a stem cell-based approach to treating age-related blindness

A Public Symposium co-sponsored by USC Stem Cell and the Choi Family @ISSCCR 2019 RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bringing-stem-cells-to-patients-treating-age-related-blindness-tickets-62892259441#tickets Program *Spanish translation available. 6:30 p.m. Registration and free food 7–8 p.m. Andrew P. McMahon, …

Pat Levitt (Photo courtesy of CHLA)

Critical windows when experience shapes the brain

Story courtesy of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Pat Levitt, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Simms/Mann Chair in Developmental Neurogenetics, received a $3.7M grant from the National Institute …

Killifish

This tiny fish could unlock mysteries about growing old

Back in its native habitat, the African turquoise killifish wiggles from its egg, eats, spawns and dies — all within a few months. Life goes by fast when your home is a …

(Illustration by Chris Gash)

Eat less, live longer? The science of fasting and longevity

When it comes to what, when and how we eat, fasting — voluntarily abstaining from food for varying periods of time — is having a moment. It was the most popular diet …

Pat Levitt (Photo courtesy of CHLA)

Neural development of 2-month-old infants shows effect of maternal stress

Story courtesy of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles A study of 70 mothers and their infants suggests that the impact of maternal stress on neurodevelopment is detectable by electroencephalography (EEG) at 2 months …

Bérénice Benayoun (Photo courtesy of the USC Davis School of Gerontology)

Bérénice Benayoun honored for genetics research

The Genetics Society of America (GSA) and the Gruber Foundation have awarded Assistant Professor Bérénice Benayoun the 2019 Rosalind Franklin Young Investigator Award for her research in genetics. The award, intended to …

David Cobrinik

What makes a cell turn cancerous?

Story courtesy of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Retinoblastoma is a tumor of the retina that generally affects children under 5 years of age and accounts for approximately 4% of childhood cancers. If …