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Stem cell research topic of next STEM lecture

Jan Nolta, a Sacramento State alum and director of the UC Davis Stem Cell Program, will be the guest speaker at the next Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) lecture at 7 p.m., Feb. 24, in the University Union’s Redwood Room.

Nolta, who received her biology degree from Sacramento State in 1984, has been the director of Davis’ stem cell program since 2006. Her lecture will focus on research describing how stem cells can be used to repair tissue and to cure diseases.

“Human stem cells from adult sources have been shown in our laboratory and others to promote the repair of damaged tissues,” Nolta said. “Different populations of stem cells have been shown to contribute to the regeneration of muscle, neural tissue, the liver, the heart and the vasculature.”

While the potential benefits of stem cells could signal a radical change in medical treatment, Nolta says more research is needed to understand the precise mechanisms by which stem cells work. “The field is an extremely exciting one, and many questions remain to be answered before stem cell therapy for tissue repair can be used most effectively in the clinic.”

UC Davis is constructing a 100,000 square-foot stem cell research facility in Sacramento, the UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures, supported by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

Nolta said programs are being developed that will soon bring Sacramento State students to the new facility for training and internships mentored by Sacramento State and UC Davis faculty members.

For more information about the lecture, contact the UC Davis Stem Cell Program at (916) 703-9300 or the Sacramento State Center for STEM Excellence at 916-278-2789.