What is the PurStem Project Doing?

An important problem for scientists working on stem cells is that there are lots of different ways to find stem cells, to grow collections of cells, to store them and transport them. Every research group has its own way of doing things – this makes it quite difficult for scientists to repeat the results that others are getting, and so to build on one another’s work. Another problem is that each research group has its own ways of deciding how to identify stem cells.

If a steady supply of stem cells was available, where the cells are all alike or at least are fully described, it would be much easier for scientists in different countries to work together on their stem cell research. In the same way, working together would be easier if everyone used the same tools and methods for finding, handling and storing their stem cells.

What PurStem is doing is to agree the best ways to identify, find, store, freeze and transport mesenchymal stem cells. If everyone uses these processes and tool, then stem cell scientists around the world will find it much easier to work together.