Mitchell Baker

Independent Research

Ashcraft

3 October 2009

Journal 5

            This week in Independent research, I focused mainly on preparing my email for Dr. Melton and researching new articles on heart regeneration.  I found one article on the federal stem cell website relating to the importance of stem cells and their ability to act as “cure alls” if the proper form can be identified which exhibits a universal ability to heal, progenitor +1 cells.  I also worked on my new online portfolio and added my first 4 journals, along with several images of stem cells and a video of an interview with Dr. Melton on the prospective use of stem cells in human medicine.  Besides Dr. Melton, I found another leading research at Harvard, Dr. Chien, who focuses primarily on mapping the developments of human heart stem cells.  I hope to contact him in the nest week and see if I can correspond in-depth about the research he is completing. The question I focus on answering now is what exactly is needed to isolate a stem cell to the point where it contains the ability to regenerate existing tissue, and not replace as in the case of organogenesis.