ISSCR News
Bayer Named Founding Member of the ISSCR Consortium on Advanced Stem Cell-Based Models in Drug Discovery and Development
The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) announces today that Bayer is a Founding Member of the ISSCR Consortium on Advanced Stem Cell-Based Models in Drug Discovery and Development, a global cross-sector initiative focused on accelerating the responsible integration of human stem cell-derived models into preclinical drug development.
Co-chaired by Daniela Cornacchia, AstraZeneca, USA, and Shuibing Chen, Weill Cornell Medicine, USA, the consortium is leading a coordinated international effort to advance the regulatory qualification and adoption of human stem cell-derived models, including organoids, engineered tissues, and microphysiological systems, as New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for drug discovery and development.
Rat Kidneys Grown in Mice Offer New Insights into Addressing Organ Donor Shortages
In a study published today in Stem Cell Reports, Shunsuke Yuri of the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan and Ayako Isotani of the Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Japan, successfully generated rat-derived kidneys in mice using a technique known as interspecies blastocyst complementation. The researchers created mouse embryos genetically unable to form kidneys, leaving a developmental niche that could be filled by injected embryonic stem cells. When rat embryonic stem cells were introduced into these embryos, they contributed extensively to kidney formation, particularly to nephron progenitor cells and ureteric bud lineages, resulting in the generation of a rat cell-derived kidney.
Year-in-Review 2025–2026: A Year of Progress and Purpose
The ISSCR plays a central role, not only reflecting the momentum of the field but actively guiding it. Over the course of my presidential year, the Society has strengthened its scientific leadership, expanded its global reach, and deepened its commitment to responsible innovation. At the start of my term, I defined four themes: expanding scientific programming from the bottom up, bridging basic research and clinical translation, becoming a truly inclusive society, and strengthening communication across leadership and committees. This year reflects meaningful progress across each of these priorities.
Member Spotlight: Alessandro Bertero
Because my work spans several fields, I can sometimes feel like an outsider. The ISSCR is the exception. It was the first scientific society I joined, and it remains the one where I feel most fully at home, both scientifically and personally. I deeply value the community I have come to know through the society, and I am eager to help ensure its continued success.
Joint ISSCR and SCN Global Workforce Development Initiative Launches Survey
The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) and Canada’s Stem Cell Network (SCN) have launched a survey as part of a shared Global Workforce Development Initiative. The survey is intended to gather perspectives from students and trainees, early career researchers, senior career researchers, industry professionals, and other stakeholders in the stem cell research and regenerative medicine community on workforce development, career pathways, training needs, and future opportunities in the field.
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