Irving Weissman
Isolated the haematopoietic stem cell · b. 1939
Irving Weissman's research programme helped define blood-cell hierarchies and methods for prospectively isolating haematopoietic stem and progenitor populations using cell-surface markers and functional assays. This work contributed to a more precise, testable view of self-renewal and lineage commitment.
Marker-defined isolation is a research and manufacturing principle, not proof that any product marketed as “stem cells” has the same identity or function. Clinical interpretation requires the exact population, assay, dose and indication. An example of this lineage-mapping programme is the prospective isolation of human myeloid progenitors.
Most clinical uses of stem cells remain investigational — check the evidence and approval status for your condition before acting on any clinic's claims.