Scientists overcome obstacles to stem cell heart repair

Scientists funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) at Imperial College London have overcome two significant obstacles on the road to harnessing **stem cells** to build patches for damaged hearts. Presenting the research at a UK Stem Cell Initiative conference today (13 December) in Coventry, research leader Professor Sian Harding will explain how her group have made significant progress in maturing beating **heart cells** (cardiomyocytes) derived from embryonic stem cells and in developing the physical scaffolding that would be needed to hold the patch in place in the heart in any future clinical application. "innovations report":[ http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/medicine_health/report-100016.html]

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