Synthesizing Safe Stem Cells

Raj Rao and members of his research group at Virginia Commonwealth University have developed a new material free of animal components that produces stable, non-tumor-forming stem cells.

Traditionally, human stem cell growth systems involve the use of animal-derived components. These elements raise the risk of genetic mutations and the spread of disease in new cells. Development of stable, non-tumor-forming, disease-free stem cells will advance stem cell therapies to treat human diseases.

Human stem cells have gained enormous interest as potential sources for regenerative biomedical therapies and model systems for studying early human development. However, the process is labor intensive and can result in nonuniform, unstable human stem cell cultures. In addition, traditional stem cell growth systems lead to a mixture of stem cells. Some of these networks develop into normal tissues and cells, while others form cancers. Stem cell cancers are typically some of the hardest to treat. Rao's findings will enable investigators to use well-defined materials to manufacture stem cells that are disease free, stable and non-tumor forming.