Promises and Dangers of Stem Cell Therapies | Daniel Kota | TEDxBrookings

Summary

The speaker, a Brazilian scientist, discusses the complexities and potential dangers of stem cell treatments. He explains the spectrum of stem cells, from embryonic to adult, highlighting the risks of embryonic stem cells turning into cancer. He emphasizes the benefits of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that can heal without differentiating. Despite the FDA's strict regulations, unapproved stem cell treatments are proliferating, leading to cases of harm. The speaker calls for scientists to communicate more effectively about stem cells to prevent such disasters.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Stem cells are becoming more prevalent in clinics, but not all treatments are necessarily safe or effective.
• 🧬 Stem cells exist across a spectrum, from embryonic to adult stem cells, each with different capabilities and risks.
• 🚀 The differentiation potential of stem cells is high, but it also poses the greatest risk, such as turning into cancer.
• 🔬 Scientists are working to understand the conditions that guide stem cells to become useful without causing harm.
• 🧪 Adult stem cells, particularly mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), can treat diseases without differentiating, using various molecular mechanisms.
• 🏥 The FDA has not approved many stem cell treatments, indicating that the field is still largely experimental.
• 📈 There's a surge of clinics offering unregulated stem cell treatments, which can lead to serious complications.
• 👩‍⚕️ Some stem cell treatments are being offered without proper clinical trials, posing significant risks to patients.
• 📊 Public understanding of stem cells is often influenced more by media and less by actual scientific sources.
• 🌟 Scientists have a responsibility to communicate the realities of stem cell research to the public to prevent misuse and harm.

Q & A

What is the current situation with stem cell treatments according to the speaker?

The speaker indicates that there is a critical point in the history of stem cells where a massive number of treatments are available, but their regulation is becoming overwhelming, with some treatments falling through the cracks.

What does the speaker think about the public's understanding of science, especially on social media?

The speaker believes that people tend to use science as a winning argument on social media without truly understanding it, and that the public's interest in science is often superficial.

What is the range of stem cells according to the spectrum mentioned by the speaker?

The range of stem cells includes embryonic stem cells, postnatal adult stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells).

Why does the speaker say that embryonic stem cells carry the greatest risk?

Embryonic stem cells have the greatest differentiation potential, which also means they have the highest risk of going astray and turning into cancer.

What is the role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in disease treatment as described by the speaker?

Mesenchymal stem cells can treat and improve many disease models without needing to differentiate into anything. They do this by employing various molecular mechanisms such as genetic transfer, mitochondrial transfer, and secretion of anti-inflammatory proteins and growth factors.

How do adult stem cells differ from embryonic stem cells in terms of differentiation capacity?

Adult stem cells have a limited differentiation capacity as they have already decided to become a certain type of cell or are on the path to becoming one.

What is the significance of the discovery that stem cells can be found in fat tissue?

The discovery that stem cells can be found in fat tissue opens up the possibility of combining liposuction procedures with stem cell treatments, creating a perfect environment for the resurgence of unregulated stem cell treatments.

Why does the speaker believe that the FDA has not approved many stem cell treatments?

The FDA has not approved many stem cell treatments because they are very strict about safety, and stem cells are not like drugs that can be manufactured identically; they vary and are difficult to control.

What are two horror stories shared by the speaker about unregulated stem cell treatments?

One story involves a woman who received a stem cell facelift and ended up with bone growing in her face around her eyes, requiring surgical removal. The second story is about three patients with macular degeneration who had stem cells injected into their eyes, leading to disastrous outcomes.

What does the speaker suggest as the most reliable source of information about stem cells?

The speaker suggests that scientists are the most reliable source of information about stem cells, but it's scary because people often learn about scientific discoveries through non-scientific sources like comic books and sitcoms.

What is the speaker's view on how scientists should approach public communication about stem cells?

The speaker believes that scientists should take themselves less seriously, get out of their heads, and reach out to inform people about stem cells to prevent disasters and ensure that good treatments make it to the public.