The Potential of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
The ability of stem cells to self-renew and develop into different cell types offers the exciting prospect of their usage in therapeutic strategies such as tissue support, cell replacement and regeneration. Thus human pluripotent stem cell research holds enormous promise to find novel therapies for a multitude of diseases such as cancer, juvenile diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, for which there are no known cures. The free and timely flow of information between providers, researchers, and the broader life sciences community is essential to advancing the field of human pluripotent stem cell research. A registry is key to this advancement.
Mission
The mission of the International Stem Cell Registry is to provide a searchable, comprehensive database that includes published and validated unpublished information on all human embryonic (hESC) and induced pluripotent (iPS) stem cell lines.
The goal is to offer current information on all known human pluripotent cell lines, including those approved by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for federal funding and those derived through other public or private funding sources. The registry will include cell lines from non-profit institutions, academic centers, research enterprises, stem cell banks and industry based in the United States and abroad.
Acknowledgements
The International Stem Cell Registry, a component of the UMass Human Stem Cell Bank and Registry, is developed in partnership with and funded by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. The work of the registry is made possible by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center and important collaborators, including the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and the Stem Cell Task Force at the National Institutes of Health.