Ethics, Policy and Standards
Stem cells offer significant potential to unravel disease mechanisms, inform novel medicines, and develop innovative cell therapies for challenging medical conditions. However, there is a growing appreciation that a “one size fits all” approach to research and therapies is not applicable to all individuals. Biases in stem cell sourcing have exacerbated disparities in our understanding of how genetic ancestry impacts stem cell phenotypes. Specifically, genetic background is rarely considered as a biological variable for in vitro disease models, despite the significant influence that biological variables such as sex or ancestry have on overall cell phenotypes, including maintenance of pluripotency, differentiation tendencies, and responses to developmental signals. The primary objective of this session is to highlight current practices for diversifying biological samples in the lab and leveraging diversity in stem cell research. This session will also define plans to improve the accessibility of stem cell therapies through financial considerations, global access, and policy/ethics considerations.