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Stories
An earful of gill: USC Stem Cell study points to the evolutionary origin of the mammalian outer ear
The outer ear is unique to mammals, but its evolutionary origin has remained a mystery. According to a new study published in Nature from the USC Stem Cell lab of Gage Crump, …
USC Stem Cell study breaks the silence on how fish and lizards regenerate hearing
A new USC Stem Cell study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has identified key gene regulators that enable some deafened animals—including fish and lizards—to naturally regenerate …
To remember conversations, keep making new brain cells
USC-led study of patients with epilepsy shows how making new neurons benefits cognition in adults. Why do adults make new brain cells? A new study published in Cell Stem Cell provides the …
By exerting “crowd control” over mouse cells, scientists make progress towards engineering tissues
Genes aren’t the sole driver instructing cells to build multicellular structures, tissues, and organs. In a new paper published in Nature Communications, USC Stem Cell scientist Leonardo Morsut and Caltech computational biologist …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Graduates of the Keck School of Medicine of USC’s master’s, doctoral, and nurse anesthesia programs go forth with “gwenchana”
At the Keck School of Medicine of USC’s 2024 Commencement Ceremony for the master’s, doctoral, and nurse anesthesia programs, the word of the day was “gwenchana.” “Today, I want to teach a …
How the USC stem cell master’s program changed the lives of 10 alumni
In honor of the 10th anniversary of USC’s stem cell master’s program, we asked 10 alumni to reflect on how the program changed the course of their lives and careers. Launched in …
USC-led study introduces a new and improved way to grow the cells that give rise to the kidney’s filtration system
In a new study published in Cell Stem Cell, USC scientists report significant progress in cultivating nephron progenitor cells (NPCs), the cells destined to form the kidney’s filtration system, the nephrons. NPCs …
Organoids reveal how to protect the brain against dementia and ALS following traumatic injury, according to USC Stem Cell study
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can quadruple your risk for developing dementia, and also increase your chances of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS. In a new study published in Cell Stem …
USC surgeon-scientist Linda Sher receives $2.7 million CIRM grant to develop and test immunologically modified and humanized swine livers
In 1992, Linda Sher was part of a surgical team at Cedars-Sinai that transplanted a pig liver into a human patient for the first time in the history of medicine. The pig …
$3.95 million CIRM grant establishes USC ASCEND Center to make stem cell-derived organ models accessible to all
To democratize access to lab-grown organ-like structures known as organoids and other advanced stem cell and transcriptomic technologies, USC will launch the CIRM ASCEND Center, dedicated to “Advancing Stem Cell Education and …
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 …