International Society For Stem Cell Research Research Articles

The role of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) guidelines in disease modeling.

Human stem cell-based modeling systems are valuable tools that can greatly improve the clinical translation of basic research. Importantly, the successful application of human stem cell-based models to biomedical research depends on the widespread adoption of ethical principles and practical standards. To achieve this outcome, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) provides a comprehensive set of recommendations that aim to promote the ethical usage of human stem cells and to ensure rigor and reproducibility within the field. Understanding and implementing these recommendations should be a top priority for investigators around the world.

When boundaries benefit science and society

In the rapidly moving field of stem cell and embryo research, research questions often sit at the intersection of scientific inquiry and ethical considerations. The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) produces guidelines to help navigate decisions in this area. For Cell's 50th Anniversary Focus on Developmental Biology, scientific editor Sarah Geisler discussed the importance of the ISSCR guidelines on stem cell and embryo research for both the stem cell community and the broader public with Amander Clark, Robin Lovell-Badge, and Janet Rossant, who have been involved in the ongoing evolution of the guidelines. A lightly edited transcript of their conversation is shared here.

Getting to the heart of stem cell research: an interview with Christine Mummery.

Professor Christine Mummery has pioneered the use of pluripotent stem cell models to investigate heart development and disease, and pushed the boundaries of what can be achieved with these versatile cells. In 2008, she became Chair of Developmental Biology at Leiden University Medical Centre, where she has refined and advanced in vitro models of the heart and now harnesses their clinical potential to screen drugs and personalise treatments for patients with various types of heart disease. Christine has become integral to the stem cell community by promoting cross-disciplinary research and serving on several Ethical Councils, Scientific Advisory Boards and Editorial Boards. Her influence in the field of stem cell research led her to become the president of International Society for Stem Cell Research in 2020, and she has won numerous awards, including the Hans Bloemendal Medal 2014 for innovative interdisciplinary research, with Gordon Keller, the prestigious Lefoulon-Delalande Prize 2021 and the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Public Service Award 2023. In this interview, Christine shares her career trajectory, how disease modelling is shifting towards advanced in vitro systems and what challenges the field has yet to overcome.

Survey of Japanese researchers and the public regarding the culture of human embryos invitro beyond 14days.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) has eliminated its prohibition on research involving the culturing of human embryos beyond 14days within the updated 2021 guidelines. We conducted a survey of Japanese researchers working in stem cell- or embryo-related research (n= 535) and the public (n= 3,000) about their attitudes toward the 14-day rule. Among the researchers, 46.2% agreed that embryos could be cultured beyond 14days, a result that was slightly lower among the public (37.9%). Among those that disagreed with embryo culturing beyond 14days, 9.5% of researchers and 5.1% of the public agreed with culturing embryos within 14days. Among the public, higher comprehension levels correlated with both agreement and disagreement with the culture of embryos beyond 14days compared with "cannot judge." Further research and pubic discourse are necessary in order to better understand the factors informing participant decisions regarding the 14-day rule.

Response to the ISSCR guidelines on human-animal chimera research.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) has recently released the 2021 update of its guidelines. The update includes detailed new recommendations on human-animal chimera research. This paper argues that the ISSCR recommendations fail to address the core ethical concerns raised by neurological chimeras-namely, concerns about moral status. In minimising moral status concerns, the ISSCR both breaks rank with other major reports on human-animal chimera research and rely on controversial claims about the grounds of moral status that many people will rightly reject. A more robust framework for regulating human-animal chimera research still needs to be developed.

What's New in Musculoskeletal Basic Science.

What's New in Musculoskeletal Basic Science.

The 2022 International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Annual Meeting: Celebrating 20 Years of Achievements.

Last June, the stem cell community came together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), one of the leading organizations in the field. The hybrid event mixed a varied program filled with plenary talks, concurrent track sessions, poster presentations, exhibit booths, and plenty of opportunities to enhance stem cell research through bonding between academia and industry. This report highlights the Plenary sessions, with the main topics discussed by each speaker. All the impressive research showcased during the meeting is genuine proof of the great advancements the field has witnessed during these last 20 years, and the more to come.

Comparison of the 2021 International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) guidelines for "laboratory-based human stem cell research, embryo research, and related research activities" and the corresponding Japanese regulations.

This paper presents a comparison of the 2021 guidelines for stem cell research and clinical translation outlined by the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) with the current regulations in Japan regarding the performance of such research. This paper provides a convenient English-language summary of the Japanese regulations, and illustrates the difference between the ISSCR guidelines and Japanese regulations regarding the conditions of implementation of study activities using human embryos or stem cells, for researchers outside Japan. The regulations governing the performance of research activities using human embryos or stem cells in Japan are relatively complex and comprise a range of laws and guidelines; the specific rules applied depend on the characteristics of each study. Therefore, even similar research activities may differ in terms of not only the guidelines or laws implemented, but also the procedures required. Such situations may confuse researchers.

Anniversary reflections: ISSCR presidents on 20 years of progress.

This year, Cell Stem Cell and the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) are celebrating their 15th and 20th anniversaries, respectively. We took the opportunity to ask the current and four former ISSCR presidents to reflect on major stem cell advances during this time, the evolution of policy, clinical translation and ethical aspects, and future challenges for the field.

100 plus years of stem cell research-20 years of ISSCR.

SummaryThe International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2022. This review looks back at some of the key developments in stem cell research as well as the evolution of the ISSCR as part of that field. Important discoveries from stem cell research are described, and how the improved understanding of basic stem cell biology translates into new clinical therapies and insights into disease mechanisms is discussed. Finally, the birth and growth of ISSCR into a leading stem cell society and a respected voice for ethics, advocacy, education and policy in stem cell research are described.

What's New in Musculoskeletal Basic Science.

What's New in Musculoskeletal Basic Science.

Heritable human genome editing is ‘currently not permitted’, but it is no longer ‘prohibited’: so says the ISSCR

The Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, recently issued by the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), include a number of substantive revisions. Significant changes include: (1)...

International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) - 19th Annual Meeting. Virtual - June 21-26, 2021

International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) - 19th Annual Meeting. Virtual - June 21-26, 2021

Survey Says: "COVID-19 Lockdown Hits Young Faculty and Clinical Trials".

COVID-19 has severely impacted laboratory research. Analysis of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) member survey has highlighted a particular impact on clinical trials and early-career investigators. The stem cell community needs to support young researchers and ensure that stem cell medicine does not lose its momentum.

18th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR). Virtual Meeting - June 23-27, 2020

The Annual Meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) brought together experts from across the world in the field of stem cell therapy research and regenerative medicine Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting, due to take place in Boston, was transformed into a virtual event, but still managed to achieve its aim of providing updates on all areas of stem cell science and regenerative medicine in oral and poster presentations provided online and on-demand to attendees This report covers some of the highlights from this virtual meeting

Gaps in Embryo Model Ethics

Embryo models are aggregates of pluripotent stem cells that exhibit aspects of embryonic development. Investigators use embryo models to study mammalian development and prevent adverse outcomes in pregnancy. However, researchers have called for debate on ethical guidelines for the use of embryo models. In addition, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) has announced that it will update its research guidelines to more fully address embryo models. If embryo models are equivalent to human embryos, then they deserve the respect afforded to all humans. The definition of the organismic potential of an embryo model should not require complete mature development or the presence of all of the typical organism’s parts. There are explanatory gaps in the ISSCR’s published recommended guidelines. The research needed to determine the nature of the human embryo model places the model in danger; thus, principled caution is needed in moving forward.

Regulation of Stem Cell Technology in Malaysia: Current Status and Recommendations.

Stem cell technology is an emerging science field; it is the unique regenerative ability of the pluripotent stem cell which scientists hope would be effective in treating various medical conditions. While it has gained significant advances in research, it is a sensitive subject involving human embryo destruction and human experimentation, which compel governments worldwide to ensure that the related procedures and experiments are conducted ethically. Based on face-to-face interviews with selected Malaysian ethicists, scientists and policymakers, the objectives and effectiveness of the current Guideline for Stem Cell Research and Therapy (2009) are examined. The study's findings show that the guideline is rather ineffective in ensuring good ethical governance of the technology. A greater extent of unethical conduct is likely present in the private medical clinics or laboratories offering stem cell therapies compared with the public medical institutions providing similar services, as the latter are closely monitored by the governmental agencies enforcing the relevant policies and laws. To address concerns over malpractices or unethical conduct, this paper recommends a comprehensive revision of the current stem cell guideline so that adequate provisions exist to regulate the explicit practices of the private and public stem cell sectors, including false advertising and accountability. The newly revised Malaysian stem cell guideline will align with the Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation (2016) of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) containing secular but universal moral rules. However, a regulatory policy formulated to govern the technology remains the main thrust of empowering the guideline for compliance among the stakeholders.

Changing the Face of Modern Medicine: Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Organized Jointly by the European Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ESGCT), International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) and the French Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (SFTCG) Lausanne, Switzerland October 16–19, 2018 Abstracts

Changing the Face of Modern Medicine: Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Organized Jointly by the European Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ESGCT), International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) and the French Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (SFTCG) Lausanne, Switzerland October 16–19, 2018 Abstracts

The stem cell market and policy options: a call for clarity

The stem cell market and policy options: a call for clarity

Emerging stem cell ethics.

It has been 20 years since the first derivation of human embryonic stem cells. That milestone marked the start of a scientific and public fascination with stem cells, not just for their biological properties but also for their potentially transformative medical uses. The next two decades of stem cell research animated an array of bioethical debates, from the destruction of embryos to derive stem cells to the creation of human-animal hybrids. Ethical tensions related to stem cell clinical translation and regulatory policy are now center stage and a topic of global discussion this week at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) annual meeting in Melbourne, Australia. Care must be taken to ensure that entry of stem cell–based products into the medical marketplace does not come at too high a human or monetary price.