Stem Cells and Medicine: Be Your Own Guinea Pig February 24, 2012

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Complete video at http://fora.tv/2012/02/15/Stem_Cells_Not_What_They_Used_to_Be

Dr. Bruce Conklin, Senior Investigator at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, discusses the potential applications of stem cells in personalized medicine. By introducing a set of genes called the "Yamanaka factors," a simple skin sample can be transformed into something as complex as functioning heart tissue -- which could potentially be used to completely personalize medical testing.

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Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In many tissues, they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. San Francisco's Gladstone Institutes is a leading force in stem cell research. In this presentation, Gladstone Investigator Dr. Bruce Conklin explains the surprising past, present, and future of stem cells.