News

Zika Virus and Brain Stem Cells in the Developing Brain and Cancer

20 September 2022

University of Cambridge scientists this week demonstrate dramatic differences in the ability of Zika Virus to attack parallel stem cell populations in the developing brain and in malignant brain tumours. The mechanisms uncovered could be important for preventing birth defects and for treating brain tumours in the future...

CSCI Welcomes Two New Principal Investigators

20 September 2022

This month, CSCI welcomes two new scientists to join the group of 29 PIs conducting stem cell research in Cambridge. Dr Maria Duque-Correa started her own research group at the Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease at the University of Cambridge in January 2022, and will continue her research...

Matt Zilbauer and a young person at the microscope

Patient Research & Science Day at CSCI

2 September 2022

Last week, the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (CSCI) welcomed paediatric patients and their families to the Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre for a visit, where they made Play-Doh cells in petri dishes, practiced pipetting samples, and took a tour of the labs with the Milner Therapeutics Institute. Patients of Dr Matthias...

David Rowitch & Ben Simons sign the Charter Book

CSCI scientists finalise induction into Royal Society

25 July 2022

Last month at the Royal Society in London, CSCI scientists Professor David Rowitch and Professor Benjamin Simons were invited to sign the charter of Royal Fellowship, finalising their induction into the Royal Society. While they were initially elected as Fellows in May 2021 , the official ceremony was delayed by COVID-19...

Scientists discover genes that affect the risk of developing pre-leukaemia

14 July 2022

The discovery of 14 inherited genetic changes which significantly increase the risk of a person developing a symptomless blood disorder associated with the onset of some types of cancer and heart disease is published today in Nature Genetics . The finding, made in one of the largest studies of its kind through genetic data...

Research shows early embryo similarities across six different mammal species

20 June 2022

A cross-species analysis of energy metabolism in mammalian embryogenesis Cells of the early mammalian embryo face a unique challenge: to produce large numbers of progeny quickly while regulating appropriate cell differentiation in a short amount of time. The regulation of energy metabolism is crucial for these processes...

Laser assisted analysis of a marmoset embryo after implantation. Image shows gene activity for SOX2, one of the earliest indicators for head formation. Credit U of Cambr

Molecular 3D-maps unlock new ways of studying human reproduction

16 June 2022

Scientists have identified the biochemical signals that control the emergence of the body pattern in the primate embryo. This will guide work to understand birth defects and pregnancy loss in humans. The study also provides a crucial reference for foetal tissue generation in the lab. Such tissue is in short supply but is...

Scientists uncover unique features of rare blood stem cells across the human body

9 June 2022

Our body produces one trillion new blood cells each day, a process driven by rare haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) inside the bone marrow. A new paper demonstrates that even rarer HSPCs with unique features also exist in other human organs. This work, from the Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (CSCI...

Expanding populations of blood cells. Credit Karen Arnott EMBL-EBI

Impact of DNA mutations on lifelong blood cell production uncovered

6 June 2022

Researchers discover how leukaemia-associated gene mutations steadily commandeer blood cell production over a lifetime, and how these changes relate to ageing and cancer development. New research has uncovered how genetic mutations hijack the production of blood cells in different periods of life. Scientists at the...

Cellular secrets of ageing unlocked by researchers

1 June 2022

Researchers have discovered how genetic mutations accumulated slowly over a lifetime lead to dramatic changes in blood formation after 70, providing a new theory for ageing New research has uncovered how genetic changes that accumulate slowly in blood stem cells throughout life are likely to be responsible for the dramatic...