Stem Cells Take to Space
NYSCF collaboration launches the first 3D models of Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis to the International Space Station on SpaceX cargo flight CRS-18.
NYSCF Accomplishments & Milestones
2019
NYSCF Launches Women’s Reproductive Cancers Initiative
NYSCF is taking on the challenge of these under-researched cancers with our new Women’s Reproductive Cancers Initiative, launched with a discussion and a world-leading Scientific Advisory Board.
Making Strides Towards Clinical-Grade Bone
NYSCF researchers report in Stem Cell Research that bone-forming cells can be grown without use of animal-derived compounds, paving the way for use in the clinic.
2018
New Technique for Personalized Bone Grafts
Segmental Additive Tissue Engineering, or SATE, described in Scientific Reports, will allow researchers to create large scale, personalized grafts for those suffering from bone disease or injury.
Family Stem Cell Day
NYSCF’s inaugural Family Stem Cell Day provided local students with the opportunity to speak with researchers and ask questions about stem cells, NYSCF’s work, and what it’s like to be a scientist.
NYSCF Innovator Pioneers Stem Cell Treatment To Restore Vision
Inaugural NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize Recipient Dr. Peter Coffey, DPhil, and collaborators are in clinical trials now treating patients with macular degeneration.
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Gallery
Dedicated the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Scientific Gallery at NYSCF headquarters in Manhattan.
2017
Creating Alzheimer’s in the Lab
Refined a technique to turn skin cells from patients with mild cognitive impairment into the brain cells that degenerate first in Alzheimer’s disease in collaboration with researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Reported in Acta Neuropathologica Communications.
Making Microglia
A robust, efficient method for deriving microglia, the immune cells of the brain, from human stem cells published in Stem Cell Reports.
New Home
Relocates to its expanded laboratories and offices on the far west side of Manhattan.
2016
New Stem Cells Created
Creation of a new type of stem cell with only one set of chromosomes, haploid stem cells, with colleagues at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Columbia University Medical Center reported in Nature.
Dr. Zhang's Groundbreaking Work
Dr. Feng Zhang receives the 6th NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize for his groundbreaking work pioneering the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system.
2015
More Precision
The NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array highlighted as a faster, more efficient, more reliable, and cost effective method of creating stem cells and derived cell types in Nature Methods.
Immunoengineering Working Group
First meeting of the Immunoengineering Working Group convened to identifying new ways of addressing the immune attack in type 1 diabetes.
Advancing Women
NYSCF IWISE Working Group publishes “Seven Actionable Strategies for Advancing Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine,” in Cell Stem Cell.
2014
Faster Protocol
Development of a faster protocol to create the cells affected in MS published in Stem Cell Reports.
First Searchable Stem Cell Database
NYSCF partners with eagle-i Network, of the Harvard Catalyst, creating first-ever open access, searchable stem cell database.
Alzheimer’s Advancements
Successful generation of a stem cell model for familial Alzheimer’s disease and identification of fourteen genes that may be implicated in the disease reported in PLOS One.
Making Living Brain Cells
For the first time, scientists successfully derive living iPS cells from frozen Alzheimer’s patient’s brain tissue, reported in Acta Neuropathologica Communications.
Initiative for Women in Science and Engineering
16 leading women in science and technological fields gather for the inaugural meeting of NYSCF’s Initiative for Women in Science and Engineering (IWISE).
2013
Customizable Bone
Creation of patient-specific, customizable bone to treat disease and injury published in PNAS.
Best Non Profit to Work For
NYSCF is named a “Best Non Profit to Work For” by The Non Profit Times.
2012
Mitochondrial Disease Breakthrough
Major breakthrough published in Nature describing a therapy that could prevent the inheritance of mitochondrial diseases.
TED Global
Susan L. Solomon announces The NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array at TED Global in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Discovery of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Awards the NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize to Dr. Kazutoshi Takahashi for his role in the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells, a breakthrough that garnered the Nobel Prize for research leader, Dr. Shinya Yamanaka.
STEP Launches
Launches Science and Technology Education Program (STEP).
2011
#1 Medical Breakthrough of 2011
Advance in patient-specific stem cells led named the #1 Medical Breakthrough of 77011 by TIME magazine.
Inaugural NYSCF – Robertson Prize
Awards inaugural NYSCF – Robertson Prize to Dr. Peter J. Coffey for use of hESCs to treat a major cause of blindness.
2010
Expanded Research Fields
Expands research team to begin research in Alzheimer’s disease, bone regeneration, and multiple sclerosis.
NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array
Engineering and building begins on the NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array robotic technology for stem cell production and derivation.
$27 Million Gift
Creates NYSCF – Robertson Investigator program for young scientists starting their own laboratories.
2009
Shared Facility
NYSCF Laboratory becomes official New York shared facility under NYSTEM.
2008
Most Significant Scientific Breakthrough of the Year
SCNT Diabetes Research
Expands research team to begin research in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) for diabetes.
Women of Excellence Award
Susan L. Solomon honored with Women of Excellence Award by Governor David Paterson.
2007
First Class
Names first full class of postdoctoral fellows.
First Grants
Awards first grants for senior scientists.
Advises Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Lt. Gov. David Paterson in drafting NYSTEM, New York State’s 11-year, $600 million stem cell research funding initiative.
2006
First Postdoctoral Fellowship
Awards first postdoctoral fellowship.
NYSCF Research Institute
Opens first privately funded “safe haven” stem cell laboratory in New York, free from restrictions tied to federal funding.
First Annual Gala
Mayor Bloomberg and Dick Wolf speak at NYSCF’s First Annual Gala for scientists and supporters.
Inaugural Translational Stem Cell Research Conference
Convenes the inaugural Translational Stem Cell Research Conference at The Rockefeller University.
2005
Seed Funding
Receives $1.1M of seed funding from two funders.
NYSCF Founded
Susan L. Solomon and Mary Elizabeth Bunzel form The New York Stem Cell Foundation in New York City.