Rachel Okolicsanyi, a scientist from the Genomics Research Centre at QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, is manipulating mesenchymal stem cells [MSCs] to produce neural cells which can be used to treat brain damage. By introducing different chemicals to specific proteins found in stem cells, researchers can determine which chemicals facilitate, or prohibit, their potential to differentiate into neural cells. This advancement in the understanding of how stem cells can be directed will accelerate the development of treatments for brain damage, specifically from strokes and trauma.
