Coordinators: Ira Herrmann (Bonn), and Richard Schäfer (Freiburg)

Stem cell research holds great hope for people with serious or incurable diseases. The replacement of diseased tissue or individual cells with the help of stem cells appears as a solution for many diseases and injuries.

But the reality of stem-cell therapies is complex. Except for a few areas of indication, stem cell research is still mainly in the early stages. Cell replacement therapies or the individual testing of drugs on the body’s own stem cells is still a thing of the future.

• But is the hope of these patients completely unwarranted?
• Are there any particularly promising research approaches?
• Why do some hospitals abroad already offer stem cell therapies?

These and similar questions are asked of stem cell researchers on a daily basis. We want to help answer these questions, provide information on current research objectives, and clarify scientific breakthroughs and the potential applications available.