Today, the BSCRC Stem Cell Seminar Series welcomed Dr. Rui Yi of @NU_Pathology, who shared how terminally differentiated cells help specify the next generation of hair follicle stem cells. 🧬

Catch the next one on Jan. 7. See our list of events: stemcell.ucla.edu/events

Meet @Mohamad_Abedi — a UCLA bioengineer designing new ways for cells to communicate. 🔬

He shares his path from community college to synthetic biology, his pursuit of "barely believable" ideas and his love of exploring unfamiliar cuisines.

🔗 ow.ly/gLni5103RaO

UCLA scientists detail the manufacturing and safety testing behind a gene-edited stem cell therapy now in a phase 1 clinical trial. newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/how-c…

Why is glioblastoma so difficult to treat with immunotherapy? A UCLA-led clinical trial from Drs. Timothy Cloughesy, Robert Prins, and colleagues tested a combination of two immunotherapies in people with recurrent glioblastoma. The combination brought more immune cells into the th more of these tumor-fighting cells tended to have better survival. The findings could help researchers understand what makes some brain tumors more responsive to immunotherapy. Read more: doi.org/10.1038/s41467…. #UCLA #Neuroscience #Glioblastoma #BrainCancer #Immunotherapy

A UCLA-led team details how it scaled up an experimental CRISPR therapy that directly corrects the sickle cell mutation in patients’ blood-forming stem cells, w/ preclinical testing supporting its move into the clinic.

ow.ly/XaPG5103x2S

Microscopy Credit: NCATS, NIH

UCLA researchers combine large language models and 3D tumor testing to identify potential ways to overcome treatment resistance in prostate cancer. Learn more:
bit.ly/4zVq8QT

#SmallWorldInMotionMonday is back! We hope this time lapse of skin stem cells closing an adult zebrafish's wound inspires your body to heal itself from any Monday blues. Have a great week ahead, everyone!

bit.ly/4BA1rLz

Credit: Dr. Eric Peterman

Enter our #microscopy contest to show off your scientific images and videos! Details, contest rules & prizes can be found here: ow.ly/fWJl5101VIW

Video: Live cell imaging of muscle cells. Credit: Tamas Nagy/Thomas Rando Lab

Happy Halloween from the #BooSCRC! We love to see our labs embrace the spooky spirit 👻

The @Butlerlab_UCLA & @NovitchLab went as the default Seurat DimPlot palette 🎨

The Chia labs dressed as blood cells🩸

The @golabnow takes to the beach 🏝️

Bonus: B&N UMAP clusters

⏰ Last chance!
Join the Blue & Gold Challenge before Saturday, October 31 at noon to provide the crucial, flexible funding researchers need to pursue innovative ideas and accelerate discoveries that could transform lives.

Make an impact: ucla.in/4i52bQ4[

A new UCLA study finds that temporarily activating a protein known for preventing cancer helps engineered immune cells resist exhaustion and improves their ability to kill tumor cells.
bit.ly/4zYqtSV

ICYMI: UCLA's Dr. Donald Kohn (Dr. Moustache to those in the know) was recently elected to the National Academy of Medicine, a recognition of his forty years advancing gene therapies for patients with blood and immune diseases. @Kohn_Lab @theNAMedicine

Thank you for sharing! Grateful to @NCIDirector @theNCI for this new R01! Many older adults struggle to regain strength after transplant. We hope this work helps them recover faster and live well. Grateful for my Co-PIs @ArmenianSaro and Kirsten Ness. Both are helping bring concepts from Pediatrics Oncology to #GeriOnc.

UCLA researchers map how mechanical forces open DNA, enabling more precise and efficient gene activation. newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/quick…

What happens to brain activity when we go under anesthesia? A UCLA-led study from Dr. Ranmal Samarasinghe’s lab used “brain assembloids” — lab-grown models made from human stem cells — to study how propofol changes neural activity. After exposure, the models showed slower, less als and quieter neurons, similar to patterns seen during anesthesia in people. The image shows one of the brain assembloids used in the study, with different cell types labeled in different colors. Read more: doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.…. #UCLA #Neuroscience #Anesthesia #BrainResearch

🚨 The Blue & Gold Challenge is here! Join UCLA's weeklong giving campaign that brings together the Bruin community to support the university’s mission of innovation, discovery, and student success.

Make your gift today: ucla.in/4i52bQ4

What if a gentle squeeze could help turn a skin cell into a neuron? A @dgsomucla study from Dr. Song Li’s lab found that briefly squeezing mouse skin cells made their DNA easier to access, helping CRISPR tools switch on genes involved in becoming neurons. With this approach, bout 40% of cells into neuron-like cells, compared with less than 5% using CRISPR alone. The image shows many more neuron-like cells after the squeeze was added. Read more: doi.org/10.1016/j.matt…. #UCLA #Neuroscience #CRISPR #RegenerativeMedicine

If you were a piece of lab equipment, what would you be? 🔬
A steady centrifuge? A sharp-eyed microscope?
Watch to see what our trainees picked and tell us yours in the comments!
#UCLAStemCell #StemCellResearch #LabLife #STEMEducation

Excited to share our new publication on physical regulation of genome! Millisecond compression of cells may induce changes in chromatin accessibility, which can be targeted by guide RNA for more efficient CRISPR activation of genes in heterochromatin. Thanks to all team members!

This microfluidic device squeezes cells as they pass through, loosening their tightly packed DNA so CRISPR tools can reach and switch on genes to make cell reprogramming more efficient. 🧫🧬

🔗 ow.ly/WKyt5100kpB

#ResearchPowersProgresss #CellReprogramming #CRISPR

📷:
1) Microfluidic device. | Song Li Lab/UCLA
2) Combining CRISPRa with the squeeze (right) improved cell reprogramming efficiency compared to CRISPRa alone (left). Blue: DAPI, green: Tubb3 (a neuron-specific marker). | Yang Song/Song Li Lab