The SCRMC Annual Report is an opportunity for members and friends of the Center to explore the key research advancements, events, and awards that have defined 2025. It’s also an opportunity for Center leadership to share their vision for the future, including upcoming SCRMC events. We invite you to explore the report through the website below or via a PDF. If you prefer a hard copy or need additional assistance accessing this material, please contact rmcbride4@wisc.edu.

Directors’ Letter

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

This year has again seen important basic science and translational advances in stem cell and regenerative medicine by SCRMC members ranging from discovering how inflammation impacts muscle mass as we age to using stem cell-derived arterial endothelial cells (AECs) for grafts that can potentially be used for bypass surgery, to continued efforts to translate discovery for global impact.

These efforts advance our understanding of human biology and toxicology while also providing opportunities for revolutionary new therapies that will address a broad range of degenerative diseases. There are, however, strong headwinds as we write this with federal support for science and overall public trust in science dipping, something further complicated by a government shutdown. Nevertheless, the SCRMC will work to keep the flow of research moving forward with your help.

We recognize that many of these projects are long-term and cannot simply be turned on and off. We also recognize the incredible importance of training the next generation of stem cell researchers and supporting these trainees in turbulent times. Fortunately, the committed researchers in this field are used to challenges and setbacks in the lab, so I am confident that perseverance will win the day.

We invite you to help us win the day in a big way by supporting the SCRMC with a donation.

Sincerely,

Tim Kamp, MD, PhD

Director, Professor of Medicine, Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health

Randolph Ashton, PhD

Associate Director, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering

SCRMC researchers to investigate mechanisms and models related to Spina Bifida and Fragile X Syndrome

Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center (SCRMC) investigators at the University of Wisconsin–Madison will be engaging in two novel, neural research projects thanks to a gift from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF).

The projects will seek to create cell culture models capable of predicting the risk of Spina Bifida (SB) and explore the molecular mechanisms that contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders such as fragile X syndrome (FXS). Both projects will use induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines, which are cells derived from adult somatic cells that have been reprogrammed to become pluripotent, in other words, they can differentiate into any cell or tissue in the body. The iPSCs generated from these projects will be deposited to WiCell and shared with the scientific community.

SCRMC investigators will advance the science of blood stem cell biology through five novel projects

Five innovative projects studying blood stem cells are currently underway at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Led by Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center (SCRMC) investigators and supported by a gift from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), these projects will investigate a wide variety of blood-based processes, from the role of inflammation in blood cell genome function and blood cell-derived pathologies e.g., cancer, to what impacts blood cell aging.

The goal of these projects is to advance the science of stem cell biology through collaboration. Investigators across campus will be working together to conduct novel research that will provide the steppingstones for medical breakthroughs related to blood disorders.

SCRMC investigators will advance cardiovascular stem cell research through three innovative projects

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide, but three innovative projects underway at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are helping to change that. Led by Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center (SCRMC) investigators and supported by a gift from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), these projects will explore the development of improved stem cell models, equipment, and increase understanding of disease mechanisms.

Parkinson’s treatment tested at UW showing promise in first clinical trial

Parkinson’s patients are receiving a new investigational treatment after a successful study at the University of Wisconsin–Madison helped demonstrate the cell therapy’s safety in non-human primates and refine the method for its delivery. Now, the biotechnology company running the trial is reporting encouraging results.

Aspen Neuroscience recently announced they would enroll a third group of patients in their trial, called ASPIRO. The ASPIRO trial is referred to as Phase 1/2a, a stage designed to evaluate an investigational treatment’s safety and most effective dose in humans.

The patients already enrolled in the trial are safely tolerating the treatment, in which new brain cells, called neurons, are grown from the patients’ own cells and grafted into key parts of the brain. Their doctors have noted improvement in patients’ Parkinson’s symptoms, potentially providing promise for people living with this debilitating neurological disease.

Several SCRMC members receive Research Forward grants

Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine members will receive four of the nine Research Forward grants hosted by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR) and sponsored by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF).

These competitive grants facilitate groundbreaking, collaborative, high-risk, high-impact, and transformative research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Research teams will receive funding for one to two years, depending on the needs and scope of the project.

Steenbock professorship awarded to Marina Emborg, MD, PhD

Marina Emborg, professor of medical physics, director of the Preclinical Parkinson’s Research Program at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, and SCRMC member, has been named recipients of UW–Madison Steenbock Professorships.

SCRMC faculty members receive OVCR named Professorships, Kellett Fellowships, and Romnes Awards

Several Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center faculty members will receive 2025-26 WARF Named Professorships, Kellett Fellowships, and Romnes Awards from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR).

The fellowship awards are reserved for those that push the boundaries of discovery and demonstrate a commitment to the Wisconsin Idea. Any technology that arises from these efforts is licensed by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and the income from successful licenses is returned to the OVCR, where it’s used to fund research activities and awards throughout the divisions on campus.

Please join us in congratulating the SCRMC faculty members who earned these prestigious fellowships and awards.

Weibo Cai elected as fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Weibo Cai, PhD, professor of radiology and medical physics and SCRMC member, is one of seven UW–Madison scholars elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): The honor, presented annually by AAAS since 1874, recognizes fellows who are distinguished by their achievements across their disciplines.