Several years ago, Danny El-Nachef was given a mission to create a tool to observe and track how stem cells behaved during the earliest stages of human heart development. While the focus of the challenge was human biology, the x-factor in the solution came from the sea. Read More
Type 1 diabetes is a disease that occurs when the immune system attacks and kills the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas, known as beta-cells. Read More
Nearly 18 million people die each year from heart disease, making it the leading cause of death in the world. In the United States alone, the annual economic impact of heart disease exceeds $200 billion, a figure that is expected to rise dramatically. Read More
UW Medicine researchers recently lead a successful effort to create “designer” stem cells that might lead to advances in cancer and aging, they say. In a paper published in the journal PNAS, the scientists showed for the first time that a computer-generated protein can be inserted into stem cells to change their epigenetic memory, whose role is to ensure that a cell’s DNA sequence remains intact as it divides. Read More
UW Medicine researchers seek a way to regenerate digits A 7-year-old girl sticks her finger through the spinning spokes of her brother’s bike. The tip gets torn off. She soon arrives in the emergency room, where Dr. Christopher Allan and his fellow UW Medicine surgeons face a decision. Should they attempt microsurgical reattachment? Suture the […] Read More
Scientists’ ability to guide cell growth drives one vision of healthcare’s future Say you’re sick. You head to your doctor and discuss personal details about your body. The doc thoughtfully checks your symptoms, maybe administers a test or two, and then delivers a diagnosis. When it’s time to recommend treatment, though, “personal” probably will yield […] Read More
Traditionally, gene therapy efforts have attempted to treat genetic diseases by modifying DNA inside a patient’s body, but it has been a challenge to deliver the genetic material to all the target tissue, let alone to do so safely. But in recent years, advances in gene editing and stem cell research have enabled scientists to […] Read More
Students help conduct intensive, real-world research at UW Medicine lab UW undergraduate Randy Lu grasps a pair of tweezers in each hand. His fingers make imperceptible movements as he dissects the tiny abdomen of a fruit fly. The tweezers and Lu’s hands look garishly large next to the insect, which is a mere speck in […] Read More