If you could write aliens a message, what would it be?

This week in science: Oct 27 – Nov 2

This Week in Science

From giant black holes swallowing our galaxy to the cutting edge of stem cell research, here are our top science stories of the week.

This Week in Science: Oct 27 – Nov 2

Giant black holes, fusion research, messages to aliens, and more

This mixture created two separate types of sensory interneurons: dI1 sensory interneurons and dI3 sensory interneurons.

Scientists coax human stem cells into becoming touch neurons

Health & Medicine

For the first time ever, researchers coaxed human stem cells into sensory interneurons, the cells that allow us to physically feel.

Scientists Coax Human Stem Cells Into Becoming Touch Neurons

This remarkable first could one day lead to innovative paralysis treatments. 

The regrown tissue could be combined with gene therapy to treat muscle injury or disease.

Scientists grow first-ever working human muscle from stem cells

Using stem cells, scientists were able to grow working human muscle in the lab. This could have huge applications in both therapy and research.

Scientists Grow First-Ever Working Human Muscle From Stem Cells

"It's taken years of trial and error, making educated guesses and taking baby steps."

The technique could also reduce animal testing.

Lab-Grown Skin With Hair Will Illuminate Treatments For Skin Conditions

For the first time, researchers developed a way to get lab-grown skin made from mouse stem cells to sprout hair follicles.

The follicles were grown in cultures of stem cells. 

Stem cell research may undergo major advancements.

Immunotherapy drug proven remarkably successful against serious stem cell transplant complication

A new clinical trial showed how an immunotherapy drug can almost entirely eliminate severe acute GvHD, a complication during stem cell transplants.

Immunotherapy Drug Proven Remarkably Successful Against Serious Stem Cell Transplant Complication

This could remove a significant barrier in stem cell research.

Hard Science

Researchers from the UCLA have found a way around some of the limitations of lung cell cultures in recreating lung scarring by growing three-dimensional "organoids" instead of relying on flat cultures. The method uses stem cells to grow pea sized three dimensional samples of lung tissue.

Growing Lungs: Scientists Are Using Stem Cells to Try and Grow Human Lungs in a Dish

This could help us all breathe a little easier.

An article in Cell Cycle shows that scientists have confirmed that induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are identical to human embryonic stem cells (hES).

Scientists Confirm: Reprogrammed Adult Stem Cells Perfectly Mimic Embryonic Stem Cells

Induced pluripotent stem cells are identical to those harvested from an embryo.

Enhanced Humans

Stem cell science has progressed so much that researchers can now share recipes for making human retinas - the part of the eye that is sensitive to light. 

Restoring Sight: Scientists Create 3D “Mini-Retinas” Using Stem Cells

A new way of making 3D mini-retinas from cells has been discovered.

In a study published in Nature Medicine, researchers report that they have successfully coaxed stem cell-derived neurons to regenerate lost tissue in damaged corticospinal tracts of rats.

Stem Cells Allow Scientists to Repair Injured Spinal Cords

We have a new kind of spinal cord regeneration.

A new labeling technique for neural stem cells has furthered research into stem cell therapy and opened doors for fighting neurological diseases and enhancing regenerative therapies.

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