NYSCF Accomplishments & Milestones

A study published in Neuron led by Valentina Fossati, PhD, shows that astrocytes – an integral support cell in the brain – created from human stem cells can turn into neuron-killers, opening the door for new understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

NYSCF CEO Susan L. Solomon received the 2020 Public Service Award from the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for her outstanding contributions to the field.

Cell Stem Cell published a four-year study of over 500 research institutions using the NYSCF Report Card on Gender Equality, showing a continuing widespread gender imbalance in science, technology, engineering and medicine fields.

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.

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.

Inaugural NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize Recipient Dr. Peter Coffey, DPhil, and collaborators are in clinical trials now treating patients with macular degeneration.

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.

Relocates to its expanded laboratories and offices on the far west side of Manhattan.

Dr. Feng Zhang receives the 6th NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize for his groundbreaking work pioneering the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system.

First meeting of the Immunoengineering Working Group convened to identifying new ways of addressing the immune attack in type 1 diabetes.

Development of a faster protocol to create the cells affected in MS published in Stem Cell Reports.

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.

16 leading women in science and technological fields gather for the inaugural meeting of NYSCF’s Initiative for Women in Science and Engineering (IWISE).

NYSCF is named a “Best Non Profit to Work For” by The Non Profit Times.

Susan L. Solomon announces The NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array at TED Global in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Launches Science and Technology Education Program (STEP).

Awards inaugural NYSCF – Robertson Prize to Dr. Peter J. Coffey for use of hESCs to treat a major cause of blindness.

Engineering and building begins on the NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array robotic technology for stem cell production and derivation.

NYSCF Laboratory becomes official New York shared facility under NYSTEM.

Expands research team to begin research in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) for diabetes.

Names first full class of postdoctoral fellows.

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.

Opens first privately funded “safe haven” stem cell laboratory in New York, free from restrictions tied to federal funding.

Convenes the inaugural Translational Stem Cell Research Conference at The Rockefeller University.

Susan L. Solomon and Mary Elizabeth Bunzel form The New York Stem Cell Foundation in New York City.