The immortal challenge
Arguably, there is no hotter area in life science research today than induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. With applications in basic research, drug discovery, and cell therapeutics, iPS cells—essentially embryonic stem cells without the embryo—have attracted tremendous excitement from academics, funding agencies, and pharmaceutical companies alike. The first clinical trial based on an iPS cell–derived product has launched in Japan, less than a decade removed from Shinya Yamanaka’s discovery of the iPS cell process in 2006. Yet as iPS cell R&D speeds towards the clinic, a nagging question remains: Just how easy is it to replicate findings between labs? Read more at BioTechniques. (PDF)
Biotechnically Speaking 