Professor Melissa Little announced as president of International Society for Stem Cell Research

Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) Professor Melissa Little has been announced as the new president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Board of Directors.

Professor Little, Theme Director of Cell Biology and Head of the Kidney Regeneration Laboratory at MCRI, will serve as ISSCR president for a year.  

The ISSCR is the largest society in the world dedicated to the advancement of responsible stem cell research and developing effective new medical treatments. 

"I am so delighted to embrace my new role in the ISSCR at such an important time for the field where we are seeing exciting translation of stem cell research and new potential to improve the health and lives or patients and families," Professor Little said.

Professor Little is world-renowned for her pioneering studies into potential regenerative kidney therapies, including growing "mini-kidneys" in a dish from stem cells.

The discovery could lead to new treatments for kidney disease, a better way to test new drugs or even bioengineer kidneys for transplant.