UCSF scientists: the power of stem cell biology

Stem cells have the potential to transform medicine. UCSF's pioneering stem cell scientists discuss the promise these cellular tools hold for testing the safety and effectiveness of experimental drugs, modeling human diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and treating such diseases as birth defects, diabetes, heart disease, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.

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HeLa c. An immortal cancer cell that
has been maintained in continuous tissue
cultures for decades from a patient
with carcinoma of the cervix. It is named
for the first two letters of the patient’s
first and last names, Henrietta Lacks.
HeLa cells have been used in thousands
of experiments on cell growth, differentiation,
and cancer, and in virology, pharmacology,
and other fields.