On May 16th, Todd McDevitt, PhD, co-PI of the stem cell biomanufacturing IGERT program at Georgia Tech and director of the Stem Cell Engineering Center was broadcasted live on CNN to discuss the development of stem cell based therapies and treatment options. 

The discussion detailed how stem cell therapies are advancing from research labs to clinical applications at a cautious but accelerated pace. The reason: stem cells serve as the body’s most promising treatment option as they have the potential to develop into many different types of cells including: blood cells, nerve cells and muscle cells. However, there are many facets to stem cells therapies that are still unclear.

Dr. McDevitt explained the importance of researching all aspects of stem cells to better understand the effects of the stem cell therapies being developed and more importantly which stem cells are best for the job. Currently, the Department of Defense is using stem cell therapies to treat wounded soldiers and more research is being done to repair spinal cords and damage caused by traumatic brain injuries. He stressed that the unknowns of stem cell therapies are still being discovered and further study is necessary to find the best stem cell treatment for each specific problem.