Better Drugs Through Stem Cells

Dr. Bruce Conklin discusses his research in developing heart cells to be used in toxicology screens. Hell also touch on the controversy, hype, and funding concerns that dominant the field of stem cell research. Bruce Conklin is Senior Investigator at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease.

Recently, scientists have discovered a way to turn ordinary human skin cells into stem cells with the same characteristics as those derived from human embryos. Researchers could grow these pluripotent stem cells into mature cell types such as heart, liver, or brains cells, expose them to new drugs or potential environmental hazards, then look for toxic side effects. If the work holds true to its promise, it would largely bypass ethical issues that have dogged research on human embryonic stem cells. It could also allow scientists to tailor the cells to specific individuals, eliminating the possibility of rejection.

Recorded at the May 18th, 2009 Down to a Science event in San Francisco.

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• heart cells
• long qt syndrome
• cardiac myocytes