Celebrating 30 Years in Cardiac Stem Cell Research

Thirty years ago, the most prominent cardiovascular scientists gathered in a medieval town near Rome to scrutinize the actual possibility of regenerating the myocardium. They agreed to the vision, but the knowledge and technology available were not mature to allow the development of clinically suitable protocols for regenerating the post-ischemic cardiac muscle. Subsequent intensive efforts of thousand scientists and exorbitant investments worldwide have generated many progresses without unraveling the complexity of using healthy cells or fabricating stripes of engineered tissue to be implanted in injured hearts. However, even if the final goal appears not yet at hand, the lesson learned brings us much closer to efficient protocols for clinical use.