Expanding Impact of Stem Cell Science

We have seen important advances in stem cell science in recent years, many the results of new technologies and applications that are propelling research forward and collaborations that are moving science closer to the clinic. Just in the past year, several significant studies such as a trial using a stem cell-based therapy to treat epidermis bullosa (https://www.closerlookatstemcells.org/blog/blog/2018/02/13/Novel-Stem-Cell-Therapy-Grows-New-Skin), and retinal therapy using stem cells (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180319124218.htm) have shown initial success, with trials in other areas beginning to get underway. The ISSCR's role has perhaps never been more important than it is today in advocating for stem cell science and research and in supporting our members, who are committed to delivering on the potential of this evolving field. We have had several reasons to celebrate over the last year as our impact expands, and we continue to grow and change with the evolution of the science. Importantly, we celebrate the fifth anniversary of Stem Cell Reports this year, and I want to commend the terrific contributions of the editor-in-chief, Christine Mummery, who will be retiring the post at the end of this year. The driving force behind getting the journal up and running, Christine has overseen an excellent editorial staff and guided the journal as it has become a strong, reputable source for science across the breadth of stem cell research and its applications to human health. Over the past year, Stem Cell Reports has highlighted some of these advances in the field, including the ability to reprogram human iPS cells into a variety of functional cell types, treating disease models with CRISPR and gene therapy, and further understanding the roles of specific cell populations during development and in disease states. Stem Cell Reports is also growing with the field and expanding content. In this issue of the journal, you will find several new features including a Q&A with Rudolf Jaenisch, accompanying his paper on interspecies chimaeras in this issue. Another excellent addition that you will see this year are the Review Articles and Perspectives that highlight topics of interest. In this issue, you will find a Perspective by 2017 McEwen Award winner Elaine Fuchs on her work on skin stem cells and a Perspective on "The Challenges of First-in-Human Stem Cell Clinical Trials: What Does This Mean for Ethics/Institutional Review Boards," written by the ISSCR's Clinical Translation Committee. This issue also includes a personal perspective from Jozef Itskovitz-Eldor on the first derivation of human embryonic stem cells, 20 years ago this year. The 2018 annual meeting in Melbourne, Australia, also highlights scientific excellence across the diversity of stem cell science, with speakers sharing science from the latest understandings in basic research to applications that have real implications for medicine and clinical analyses from the lab. An excellent lineup of speakers is featured throughout the meeting's 7 plenary sessions, 20 concurrent sessions, and more than 100 abstract-selected speaker talks. The scientific program is complemented by opportunities to network, learn about new tools and technologies for the lab, and meet with prospective employers and employees through the Job Match. This year, we continue the successful "Clinical Advances in Stem Cell Research" program begun last year with a focus on "Emerging Clinical Technologies—Genetic Modification, CAR-T, and Beyond." The panel of academic and industry leaders will highlight a range of current and future gene and cell therapy approaches and the underlying technologies that make them possible. The society prioritizes support for members and stem cell science in its policy program, coordinated through the Policy Committee chaired by Sean Morrison. Advocacy efforts in 2018 led to several notable successes, attributable in part to the new policy director, Eric Anthony, who joined the ISSCR after many years of service with members of the U.S. Congress:•Efforts this year in the U.S. to restrict fetal tissue research funding and cut the budget of the NIH were successfully defeated when the ISSCR and other groups stood in support of continued science funding.•In Europe, the ISSCR advocated for robust investment in scientific research, focusing on support for basic science and innovations that have shown promise.•We have been very interested in efforts around the globe to address the problem of clinics offering unproven stem cell interventions to patients, in a direct business-to-consumer relationship, and have assisted several governmental agencies with comments as they develop policies.•The ISSCR's "Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation" remains the gold standard for best practices and high standards, and we rely on them throughout our comments and recommendations to policy makers. The ISSCR is actively working to ensure our voice is heard in global policy debates around stem cell science, regenerative medicine, and regulatory issues, and we welcome input from our members and the field. The policy program is supported by our communications team, which expanded in 2018 to include two stem cell science PhDs: Chris Barry, from James Thomson's lab at Morgridge Institute, and Julie Perlin, from Leonard Zon's lab at Harvard and Boston Children's. They will also assist communications director Anne Nicholas in building content for members and the field, and developing additional patient and public-facing information for "A Closer Look at Stem Cells." The ISSCR communications staff will also focus on ways to deliver timely, useful professional resources for members, including information relevant to different career stages, and to increase member engagement with the society. These efforts will also include using a variety of media channels to help reach new audiences and enhancing social media outreach. The newly redesigned ISSCR website, launched in 2017, will serve as a key platform for current information for members and the field, with updates about the society and its activities. "A Closer Look at Stem Cells" remains an important outreach tool for ISSCR communications, with information for patients and the public. The site is relied upon by many patient groups for clear, accessible information that is scientifically vetted. Plans to expand information available on the site are underway, with input from the Clinical Translation Committee. Increasingly, the site is also promoted to the media as a source of accurate, reliable information. The ISSCR is also active in promoting the potential of stem cell research to groups outside the academic scientific community, spreading the word about the research and its potential to impact human health. We have hosted a Nucleus Forum event for the past few years that provides the platform for entrepreneurs, investors, biotech companies, pharmaceutical companies, and the philanthropic community to come together to discuss breakthrough stem cell technologies advancing human health in profoundly disruptive and impactful ways. This engagement between academia, industry, and investors is becoming more immediately relevant as the science has been moving toward the clinic. We hope you enjoy the research presented in this edition of Stem Cell Reports and that you will join us in celebrating the many advances taking place in stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. We appreciate your involvement with the ISSCR and encourage you to continue your interest and contact us with ideas about how we can be helpful to you.