Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 14h

‘Lab-grown human embryo model produces blood cells’ – University of Cambridge scientists generate human blood stem cells, offering future hope for patients in need of bone marrow transplants to use their own cells: www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Paper: www.cell.com/cell-reports...

Lab-grown human embryo model produces blood cells

Breakthrough raises new possibilities for regenerative medicine, which uses patient’s own cells to repair damaged tissues

www.theguardian.com

1

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 16h

‘Selfish sperm see older fathers pass on more disease-causing mutations’ – Interesting read in @newscientist.com on a paper that ‘clearly shows older fathers have a higher risk of passing on more pathogenic mutations’: www.newscientist.com/article/2499...
Paper: doi.org/10.1038/s415...

Selfish sperm see older fathers pass on more disease-causing mutations

Older men are more likely to pass on disease-causing mutations to their children because of the faster growth of mutant cells in the testes with age

www.newscientist.com

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 1d

‘Unlocking the Skin’s Natural Healing Power’ – study reveals ‘one of the earliest steps in how skin stem cells learn to repair tissue – knowledge that could help engineer improved skin grafts for transplantation’: medicine.yale.edu/stemcell/new...
Paper: doi.org/10.1038/s414...

Unlocking the Skin’s Natural Healing Power

Researchers show that embryonic skin stem cells rely on a specialized mechanism to resist injury. The findings could lead to new strategies for repairing wounds

medicine.yale.edu

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 1d

‘Why organ chips could transform cancer treatment and drug testing’ – CBC reports on progress of organs on a chip including a study of eight patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma by McGill University and @harvard.edu: www.cbc.ca/news/health/...
Paper: doi.org/10.1186/s129...

Why 'organ chips' could transform cancer treatment and drug testing | CBC News

Cancer treatments don't always work as expected, leaving patients to suffer side effects of chemotherapy without gaining benefits. Now scientists are exploring whether tiny proxy organs made in the la...

www.cbc.ca

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 4d

‘Researchers discover a new type of diabetes in babies’ – International research team's discovery turns on advanced DNA sequencing technologies and ‘a new model of stem cell research’: news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-h...

Researchers discover of a new type of diabetes in babies

Advanced DNA sequencing technologies and a new model of stem cell research has enabled an international team to discover a new type of diabetes in babies. The University of Exeter Medical School worke...

news.exeter.ac.uk

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 5d

Congratulations to Declan Turner from the Rhiannon Werder Lab reNEW Melbourne for winning #ARTxSCIENCE2025 with ‘A Deep Breath’: renew.science/artxscience/...
Rhiannon is one of our 2024 Metcalf Prize winners: www.stemcellfoundation.net.au/rhiannon_wer...
We're announcing 2025 winners next month.

1

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 6d

'John B. Gurdon, 92, Dies; Nobelist Paved Way for Cloning of Animals’ – @nytimes.com commemorates the scientist whose work ‘laid the foundation for stem cell biology and regenerative medicine’: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/07/s...

John B. Gurdon, 92, Dies; Nobelist Paved Way for Cloning of Animals

www.nytimes.com

1

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 7d

We're proud to support @asscr.bsky.social Rising Stars 🌟🌟
Congratulations to Ana and Kevin 👏

Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research (ASSCR) @asscr.bsky.social · 8d

🌟 Congratulations to our 2025 #ASSCR Rising Star Award winners – Dr Ana Núñez Nescolarde (Harry Perkins Institute) & Dr Kevin Law (Universty of Sydney)! 👏
Honoured for excellence in stem cell research & leadership.
Thanks to NSCFA for their support! 🧬✨
#StemCells #RisingStars

2

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 7d

‘Scientists grow mini human brains to power computers’ – BBC News reports on ‘biocomputing’ using stem cells to create lab-grown brain organoids which are ‘attached to an electrode and them prompted to respond to simple keyboard commands’: www.bbc.com/news/article...

Scientists race to make 'living' computers powered by human cells

BBC News goes inside the lab powering computers with 'mini brains' grown from human cells.

www.bbc.com

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 11d

The Foundation and Cerebral Palsy Alliance are backing Associate Professor Atul Malhotra on his mission to develop cellular therapy aimed at repairing brain injury associated with preterm births. Read about his clinical trial using umbilical cord blood: stemcellfoundation.net.au/atul_malhotr...

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 12d

‘Scientists Use Electricity To “Reprogram” the Immune System for Faster Healing’ – Trinity College Dublin team shows electrical stimulation to macrophages can help suppress inflammation and boost stem cell recruitment into wounds: scitechdaily.com/scientists-u...
Paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.xc...

Scientists Use Electricity To “Reprogram” the Immune System for Faster Healing

Trinity College Dublin scientists showed that electrical stimulation reprograms macrophages to reduce inflammation and boost healing. This breakthrough could lead to broad therapeutic uses. Researcher...

scitechdaily.com

Reposted by National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia

Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research (ASSCR) @asscr.bsky.social · 24d

Congratulations to the 2025 Catalyst Prize winners!
The team led by Christine Wells at University of Melbourne has been recognised by ASSCR for their exceptional impact in stem cell research over the past 5 years.

#StemCellResearch #ASSCR #CatalystPrize #ResearchExcellence #Australasia

2 4

Reposted by National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia

Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research (ASSCR) @asscr.bsky.social · 17d

⏳ Early bird registration closes in 1 week on 3rd October for ASSCR 2025.

📅 10–12 Nov | 📍 QT Gold Coast
Theme: Riding the Stem Cell Wave – from Innovation to Translation
🎟️ Register now: www.asscrmeeting.com.au/registration

#ASSCR2025 #tSemCells #ScientificMeeting #InnovationToTranslation

1 1

Reposted by National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia

ISSCR @isscr.org · 12d

Join the ISSCR for 2026 & get member benefits for the rest of 2025 at no cost! Connect with a global community of scientists, clinicians, industry professionals, students, and postdocs advancing stem cell research and regenerative medicine.

Learn more👉 www.isscr.org/membership

1 2

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 13d

‘Researchers produce human eggs from skin cells in scientific first’ – US researchers turn DNA from human skin cells into ‘functional’ eggs able to be fertilised by sperm in a lab: www.abc.net.au/news/science...
Paper: doi.org/10.1038/s414...
@ohsunews.bsky.social

Human embryo made with skin may one day produce two-dad babies

Scientists have used human skin cells to produce functional eggs using a new scientific technique they say could one day help infertile people have their own biological children.

www.abc.net.au

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 14d

‘Swapping old immune cells in the brain with fresh ones could treat disease’ – Interesting read in Nature following a ‘a spate of new studies’ on potential for immune cells called microglia to address brain conditions including Alzheimer’s disease: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Swapping old immune cells in the brain with fresh ones could treat disease

Replacing immune cells called microglia holds promise for addressing brain conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

www.nature.com

1

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 14d

‘AI reveals hidden features of a developing embryo model’ – University of Michigan team uses AI to examine culture data of human embryoids: www.eurekalert.org/news-release...
Paper: doi.org/10.1126/scia...
@umich.edu

AI reveals hidden features of a developing embryo model

A paper from the lab of Jianping Fu, Ph.D. of the University of Michigan Medical School uses artificial intelligence to uncover hidden features of the developing embryo.

www.eurekalert.org

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 15d

‘NASA is sending human cells to the Moon on high-tech microchips that mimic astronaut organs’ – Organ-on-a-chip tests aim to ‘help NASA prepare targeted protections for each crew member based on real biological responses’ in deep space: www.earth.com/news/nasa-av...

NASA is sending human cells to the Moon on high-tech microchips that mimic astronaut organs

NASA's AVATAR study will send Emulate organ chips containing human cells on the Artemis II mission to study how deep space affects health.

www.earth.com

1 3

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 15d

‘Banking baby teeth: companies may be misleading parents with outrageous claims’ – @bmj.com investigation raises concerns about UK companies advertising the value of tooth banking services to parents, including possible treatments for autism and diabetes: doi.org/10.1136/bmj....

Banking baby teeth: companies may be misleading parents with “outrageous claims”

Experts are concerned by claims—including possible future treatments for autism and diabetes—made about the value of banking baby teeth. Emma Wilkinson reports Video 1 Journalist Emma Wilkinson jo...

doi.org

1

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 18d

‘The mini placentas and ovaries revealing the basics of women’s health’ – interesting read in Nature on ways lab-made organoids that mimic reproductive tissues ‘could point to treatments for common conditions such as pre-eclampsia and endometriosis’: doi.org/10.1038/d415...

The mini placentas and ovaries revealing the basics of women’s health

Lab-made organoids that mimic reproductive tissues could point to treatments for common conditions such as pre-eclampsia and endometriosis.

doi.org

1

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 19d

‘Hidden Plant Stem Cells Could Hold the Key to Feeding the Future’ – US scientists at Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory discover hidden stem cell regulators connected to growth and crop size: scitechdaily.com/hidden-plant...
Paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.de...
@cshlnews.bsky.social

Hidden Plant Stem Cells Could Hold the Key to Feeding the Future

Plant scientists discovered hidden stem cell regulators tied to growth and crop size. Their breakthrough could transform how we grow food, fuel, and resilient harvests.

scitechdaily.com

1

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 21d

‘Bayer moves Parkinson's cell therapy into Phase III trial’ – News wire @thomsonreutersnews.bsky.social reports on 'the third phase of human testing of an experimental stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease': www.reuters.com/business/hea...

Bayer moves Parkinson's cell therapy into Phase III trial

Bayer has started the third phase of human testing of an experimental stem cell therapy for Parkinson's disease, with future results potentially underpinning a request for regulatory approval, the company said on Monday.

www.reuters.com

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 21d

‘If tiny lab-grown 'brains' became conscious, would it still be OK to experiment on them?’ – Coverage following a perspective paper on the possibility of consciousness in human brain organoids: www.livescience.com/health/neuro...
Perspective paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.pa...

If tiny lab-grown 'brains' became conscious, would it still be OK to experiment on them?

A perspective paper published this week argued that brain organoids could soon gain consciousness, and we should consider stricter regulations around them.

www.livescience.com

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 22d

‘The quite simple way this group of Australians could save lives’ – SBS News reports on calls by the Leukaemia Foundation for young people aged 18 to 35 to urgently consider stem cell donation: www.sbs.com.au/news/article...
September is #bloodcancer month.

The 'quite simple' way this group of Australians could save lives

Australians receiving treatment for "urgent" and "critical" diseases are having to wait for people overseas to make life-saving donations.

www.sbs.com.au

1

National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia @ausstemcell.bsky.social · 22d

‘UniSA scientists awarded $2.9m to investigate genetic causes of deadly childhood brain cancer’ – Stem cell technology will be used to investigate genetic abnormalities in children with diffuse midline glioma to identify better treatment options: www.unisa.edu.au/media-centre...

UniSA scientists awarded $2.9m to investigate genetic causes of deadly childhood brain cancer

UniSA scientists will use a $2.9 million Federal Government grant to uncover the genetic drivers of the deadliest childhood brain cancer.

www.unisa.edu.au