Stem cell technology
Stem cell technology – delivering the promise
By Dr Aaron Heifetz
The promise of stem cell technology as a tool for drug discovery, drug development and as a therapeutic modality is no longer in the future but part of contemporary healthcare. The speed which stem cells have been integrated into biomedical product development has surprised many, but stem cells in the form of bone marrow transplants have been around for several decades in medical practice.
Most drug discovery programmes now use functional, cell-based assays for target hit identification and lead optimisation because of the desire to utilise the scientific understanding of signalling pathways. This has resulted in a capability to probe more complex targets and seek target modulation, rather than complete inhibition.
Pharmaceutical companies have also employed stem cell technology for drug discovery and testing for more than 10 years. Stem cells may help us understand the complexity of human disease by studying cells as they become more differentiated, making nerves, skin, cartilage, bone and brain. Drug developers hope that............
