Our bodies are made up of hundreds of different types of cells, but stem cells can become all of them. Over the last five years, scientists have made great advances in reprogramming specialised adult cells back into a stem-like state, turning back the clock and restoring their lost potential. .
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These “induced pluripotent stem cells” or iPSCs could be used to create personalised treatments for diseases, or even new body parts, which are tailored to an individual’s genome.
The journal Science named iPSCs as its Breakthrough of the Year in 2008. Since their discovery in 2006, research on these cells has rocketed ahead and this timeline charts the progress of this exciting field, right up to today’s latest discovery.
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This timeline was inspired by John Rennie’s manifesto on how to improve science journalism, by looking at the stories that lead up to new discoveries, rather than focusing on every new paper in isolation.
.Research into reprogrammed stem cells: an interactive timeline
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