This episode of The Stem Cell Report will discuss the process of directing stem cells to acquire the proper identity, an essential step in the development of effective and durable cell replacement therapies. Specifically, we will talk about the process of directing cells into a ventral mesencephalic dopaminergic fate for treating Parkinson’s disease. 

Guests
Agnete Kirkeby is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Copenhagen, a Principal Investigator with the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine renew, and a Principal Investigator at the Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine at Lund University. Professor Kirkeby led the preclinical development of a stem cell-based therapy for Parkinson’s Disease which was approved for a first-in-human clinical trial in Sweden. Agnete also co-chairs the ISSCR 2024 Annual Meeting Program Committee, the group responsible for planning the upcoming meeting this July in Hamburg, Germany. 

Pedro Rifes received his PhD from the Universidade de Lisboa in Portugal and was a postdoctoral scholar in the Kirkeby Laboratory. He served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen and is currently a Project Manager at Bioneer A/S, a Danish specialty Contract Research Organization.  Connect with him on LinkedIn.

Host
Martin Pera, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Jackson Laboratory
@martinperaJAX

Supporting Content
Paper link: Forced LMX1A expression induces dorsal neural lolfates and disrupts patterning of human embryonic stem cells into ventral midbrain dopaminergic neurons, Stem Cell Reports

 About Stem Cell Reports
Stem Cell Reports is the open access, peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports  focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians. X: @StemCellReports

About ISSCR
With nearly 5,000 members from 75+ countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.

ISSCR Staff
Keith Alm, Chief Executive Officer
Yvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell Reports
Kym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic Communications
Jack Mosher, Scientific Advisor

Voice Work
Ben Snitkoff