Stem cell discovery timeline can be summarized as follows: 1) Key milestones in stem cell research from the 1950s to present are highlighted, including the first bone marrow transplant in the US, discovery of stem cells in bone marrow and human cord blood, derivation of embryonic stem cell lines from mice and non-human primates, and development of induced pluripotent stem cell techniques. 2) Major advances include the first derivation of human embryonic stem cells in 1998, creation of the first induced pluripotent stem cells from mouse cells in 2006, and approval of the first human clinical trials using stem cells. 3) Scotland has contributed significantly to stem cell research, including the cloning of Dolly the

1. Stem cell discovery timeline
First bone marrow transplant Scientists at Stanford University
First stem cells derived from a
performed in US First embryonic stem cell line derived directly reprogram fibroblasts to
cloned embryo in a mouse
from a non-human primate neurons without needing to return
Image © PhotoGraphics, University Health Network the cells to pluripotency first.
Thomson, Yamanaka and others
publish the creation of iPS cells
from humans
James Thomson publishes the first
paper in Science describing hESCs
James Till and Ernest McCulloch Geron (US) receives clearance to
prove the existence of stem cells First embryonic stem cells are begin world’s first human clinical trial
in the bone marrow derived from a mouse blastocyst of hESC based therapy for acute
spinal cord injury
Harvard researchers publish first
disease specific iPS lines for
diseases including Parkinson’s
and juvenile diabetes
Osiris Therapeutics (US), began their
First cord blood transplant performed 1st trial using mesenchymal stem cells
Advanced Cell Technology (US)
in a patient with Fanconi anemia (MSCs) in bone marrow transplants Yamanaka and colleagues at Kyoto
Stem cells are discovered in granted approval to proceed with
University create the first iPS cells clinical trials with hESC derived
human cord blood created from mouse somatic cells. treatment for a rare type of blindness.
1956 1961 1978 1981 1988 1995 1998 2000 2006 2007 2008 2010
1996 2003 2009 2011
Key Scottish contributions
First in man study: ReNeuron’s
Nanog, which helps keep cells neural stem cells in clinical study at
Image © The Roslin Institute
pluripotent was discovered by Ian Southern General Hospital, Glasgow
Chambers, University of Edinburgh
Created by SSCN:
First mammal cloned from an adult Virus free induction of iPS cells by
(somatic) cell - Dolly the sheep is SSCN launched at event addressed Keisuke Kaji (Edinburgh) and
born at the Roslin Institute by Geron Corp’s CEO, Tom Okarma Andras Nagy (Toronoto)
Scottish Centre for Regenerative
based on original work done by the Medicine opens in Edinburgh at the
Australian Stem Cell Centre at bioQuarter (near RIE)