Cristy Lytal
Stories by Cristy Lytal:
How did vertebrates first develop jaws?
In a new pair of studies, scientists reveal clues about the origin of this evolutionary innovation.
Biotechnology teacher uses USC background to prep kids for careers
As an instructor at L.A.’s Roosevelt High School, Rekha Prakash works two short miles from USC’s Health Sciences Campus, where she earned her master of science degree in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.
Alumna Clare Yarka’s passion drives her career in research
The Trojan entered industry immediately after earning her master of science degree in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine from USC and never looked back.
Building reputations as team players — in the lab and on the basketball court
USC Stem Cell alumni Litao Tao and Haoze “Vincent” Yu bring their A game to new positions in academia and industry.
New evidence on how adults’ large bone injuries repair
Key to the repair strategy examined in the USC study is a gene with a fittingly heroic name: Sonic hedgehog.
Newly born cells in the epileptic brain provide a potential target for treatment
USC researchers find that adults can replenish some of the brain cells they lose by generating new brain cells, and that this process is dramatically altered in patients with long-term epilepsy.
For USC Stem Cell faculty member Rong Lu, science is in her blood
Lu’s lab publishes paradigm-shifting research about the complex and surprising behavior of individual blood stem cells.
Arthritis-related gene also regenerates cartilage in joints and growth plates
The USC-led study has implications for the use of existing drugs that curb inflammation in autoimmune diseases: Those drugs may also interfere with growth and regeneration.
Research offers new insights into understanding head development
USC scientists’ work may provide new information on craniofacial birth defects.
How alike are the cancer cells from a single patient?
The USC study also underscored a major problem facing cancer researchers: studying non-representative samples of patient cells.
California’s stem cell agency awards USC $5 million to train scientists and clinicians
The goal is to create a diverse group of scientists with the knowledge and skill to become the next generation of stem cell leaders.
Drug-like molecule points to novel strategies for cancer therapy
Work from scientists led by USC’s Oliver Bell and a colleague could counteract the effects of mutated epigenetic regulators, which are known to drive certain types of cancer including lymphoma.
USC Stem Cell provides ‘incubator’ for medicine of the 21st century
The incubator brings together leading minds from around the world and trains the next generation of stem cell scientists through a dedicated doctoral program and first-of-its-kind master’s degree.
Aided by stem cells, a lizard regenerates a perfect tail for the first time in 250 million years
The USC-led experiment has implications for improvements in human wound-healing.
USC-led study traces the blueprints for how human kidneys form their filtering units
With these blueprints, USC Stem Cell scientists lay the foundation for building a synthetic mini kidney.
From legalizing marijuana to decriminalizing opioids, USC professor does the research to inform change
While Congress considers proposals for federal drug liberalization including legalizing marijuana and decriminalization, Rosalie Liccardo Pacula is working to inform decisions regarding possible regulations through research.
Research into skull birth defect detailed by USC-Oxford team
A new USC study explores a part of the skull known as the coronal suture and how it is affected by the birth defect craniosynostosis.
USC scientists explore the regenerative potential of the inner ear
Overcoming a newly identified natural barrier to sensory cell regeneration may be a first step in returning inner ear cells to a newbornlike state.
USC Stem Cell study points to a common ancestor for cells involved in hearing and touch
A USC study finds that the sensory cells in the inner ear and the touch receptors in the skin actually have a lot in common.
The same cell type can help or hinder repair after acute kidney injury
Proximal tubule cells, which have the capacity to heal, can also contribute to the transition from an acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease, USC research has found.
USC experts look at the complex case for reparations
For the first time in more than 30 years, reparations-focused legislation is headed to the House floor for a full vote.
USC scientists make big progress in building mini-kidneys
Zhongwei Li and his colleagues at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have created what could be a key building block for assembling a synthetic kidney.
As a teen in Syria, he dreamed of going to USC; now, he’s a new graduate
Eli Bosnoyan recalls the remarkable circumstances that brought him from Aleppo to Los Angeles and shaped him into a grad of USC’s stem cell master’s program.
Fighting climate change by eliminating jargon
USC Price’s Wändi Bruine de Bruin investigates public perceptions of climate change, sustainability and other topics using insights from psychology.