The sustainability question: what ethical, affordable, scalable, effective, safe, ecological means for this field
Introduces Paul de Sousa´s take on sustainability framework for the future of developmental and stem cell technology that runs through all of StemCells.Help blog series.
Applications overview: where developmental and stem cell science is applied today
Survey of current application domains: disease modelling, cell therapy, species preservation, agri-food, reproduction. Where each stands and what limits progress.
GMP and Quality by Design: what regulated manufacturing actually requires
What GMP means in the context of stem cell products. How Quality by Design differs from post-hoc testing. Practical implications for anyone building or using tools in clinical pipelines.
Characterisation and quality control: what we measure, what we miss
What assays and markers are used to assess stem cell identity and quality. Where current tools fall short: epigenetic stability, functional potency, and subtle state shifts.
Key methods: directed differentiation, organoids, single cell cloning, cryopreservation, cell banking
A practical overview of core laboratory and manufacturing methods used in stem cell science. What each does, why it matters, and where limitations lie.
Cellular programming and reprogramming: from somatic cell nuclear transfer to induced pluripotency
How cells can be reprogrammed. Covers SCNT (cloning), iPSC generation, and direct reprogramming. Grounds the concept in the history from Dolly onward.
Stem cell types and what distinguishes them: pluripotent, mesenchymal, haematopoietic, neural and cancer
An accessible overview of major stem cell categories, their defining properties, and the applications each is relevant to. Functional distinctions over textbook definitions.
Developmental biology and stem cells — a working introduction
First pillar series entitled stem cell 101 introducing developmental biology and stem cell science for a professional but non-specialist audience. Sets the biological baseline for all other pillars. Maps to future stemcells.help book opening chapters.