Dr. Shinya Yamanaka

Shinya Yamanaka won the Nobel Prize last year for showing how the insertion of just four genes (by means of a viral vector) converted somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells.  Now, researchers at the Weizmann Institute for Science (Rehovot, Israel) have shown that the same end can be achieved by simply removing one protein, “MBD3,” which appears in the fourth day of embryo development.  This piece does not describe how these scientists removed this protein or how long this molecular “brake” can be kept at bay.  MORE

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