Our documentary features the world's leading stem cell scientists.

Professor Austin Smith 

has expertise in the field of mouse developmental biology and has pioneered key advances in the field of embryonic stem cell research. In January 2010 he was awarded the prestigious Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine. You can view a short video describing Austin's research interests and motivations on the Louis-Jeantet Foundation's website.
Director, Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research, University of Cambridge

Professor Howard Green

is a founding father of regenerative medicine. He developed the first therapeutic use of cultured cells: the use of keratinocytes for the regeneration of epidermis on severely burned patients. The first large-scale, life-saving use of this procedure was demonstrated with cells grown in his laboratory to generate skin grafts.

Professor Shinya Yamanaka 

and his colleagues successfully reprogrammed adult skin cells into the equivalent of embryonic stem cells - induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS), first in mice, then with human cells. This breakthrough dramatically changed the landscape of stem cell science.
Director, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Japan

Professor Sir Martin Evans

is the winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine 2007. He was the first to isolate embryonic stem cells from early mice embryos and to cultivate them in a laboratory.
He then genetically modified these stem cells and implanted them into adult female mice to create genetically modified offspring. Genetically modified mice are now considered vital for medical research.

Professor Pete Coffey

aims to develop a stem cell therapy for the majority of all types of age-related macular degeneration. Human clinical trials are expected to start at the end of 2011.
Director, London Project to Cure Blindness

Professor Geeta Vemuganti 

developed in-vitro culture and expansion of human limbal epithelial cells. Tissue is first harvested from the good eye of a chemically burnt patient with limbal damages.
Director, Ophthalmic Pathology Service, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India

Surgeon Dr Virender Sangwan

transplants the cultured limbal epithelial cells to the patient, creating a bespoke cell replacement therapy.
Associate Director, Ophthalmic Pathology Service, LV Prasad Eye Institute

Professor Connie Eaves 

is internationally recognized for her pioneering research in basic blood stem cell biology, which led to a breakthrough in treatment for leukemia.
Director and co-founder, Terry Fox Laboratory, Vancouver, Canada

Professor Oliver Brüstle

and his research group focus on the use of embryonic stem (ES) cells for neural repair. Oliver Brüstle and his team have been able to demonstrate that transplanted ES cell-derived neurons and glia integrate into the host brain circuitry.
Director, Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, Bonn University, Germany