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International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) | Institution Profile | iPS Cells & Regenerative Medicine

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INSTITUTION PROFILE / iPS CELLS & REGENERATIVE MEDICINE

ISSCR (International Society for Stem Cell Research)
The international society that sets the yardstick for iPS cells and regenerative medicine

ISSCR is an international society of stem cell researchers, headquartered in the United States. It is not a government body, and it neither approves products nor regulates them in law. Instead, it writes guidelines, brings researchers together at an annual meeting and talks with regulators in many countries, and that has made it a yardstick that institutions and regulators around the world refer to. This profile asks how much influence ISSCR really has over iPS cells and regenerative medicine, keeping in view the difference between being referred to and being obeyed.

Sources: ISSCR's official website (its organisational pages, the text of the guidelines, its standards, its officers, its annual meeting and the president's message). Last updated October 2026.

International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) — AI-generated conceptual illustration
AI-generated conceptual illustration of the technology or activity discussed here; not a photograph of actual products, facilities or staff, and not a measured result.
What this article covers
  1. ISSCR in 30 seconds
  2. What kind of body it is: the four types of influence
  3. What it does for iPS cells and regenerative medicine
  4. How far its influence reaches (powers and geography)
  5. Who else is involved: where its guidance lands
  6. Outlook
  7. Glossary, references and claim-to-source audit

1. ISSCR in 30 seconds

LEGAL NAMEInternational Society for Stem Cell ResearchUsually shortened to ISSCR
COUNTRY / REGIONInternational (headquartered in the United States)Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois. Members in more than 80 countries
TYPE OF BODYLearned societyNot a government body. It also publishes the journal Stem Cell Reports
ESTABLISHEDMore than 20 years agoWe have not confirmed the exact year. The first edition of its guidelines came out in 2006
SIZEMore than 80 countriesWe did not find a published membership figure within the sources checked. More than 150 volunteers
SCALE INDICATORAnnual meeting of about 3,000 peopleThe 2026 meeting in Montreal. We have not confirmed its budget
ROLE IN iPS CELLS & REGENERATIVE MEDICINEGuidelines and standardsGuidelines for research and clinical translation, and guidance on pluripotent stem cell-derived therapies
REACHAn international reference pointNot legally binding; national law takes precedence
The one thing to grasp first

ISSCR's influence is the power to be referred to, not the power to compel. The guidelines themselves state that they do not override national laws or regulations Sourced. Its influence is nonetheless considerable, according to ISSCR, because the UK's 2024 code of practice for stem cell-based embryo models builds on the ISSCR guidelines, and because the U.S. National Academies has said the guidelines are widely followed by research institutions Sourced. Both claims are ISSCR's own. It has no powers comparable to those of the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan, who decides approvals, or of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

2. What kind of body it is: the four types of influence

Unlike the companies in this series, the institutions that appear in iPS cell and regenerative medicine coverage do not sell products. What separates them is the route by which they influence the industry, and that gives four types.

Four types of institution that shape iPS cells and regenerative medicine Institutions do not sell products. They differ in the route by which they influence the industry Funding Allocates R&D budgets AMED / CIRM What gets researched Reach: funded work Policy & regulation Approvals, systems, law MHLW / FDA What reaches the market Reach: own jurisdiction Standards Guidelines and standards ISSCR / ICH How to make and verify Reach: voluntary uptake Convening Hubs, annual meetings CiRA / ISSCR Who works and meets Reach: participants ISSCR is both a standards body and a convener, but its standards carry no legal force Within iPS cells and regenerative medicine, how far influence reaches differs greatly by type
Fig. 1 Four types of institution involved in iPS cells and regenerative medicine, and where ISSCR sits. The classification is our own, and the examples are institutions covered in this series Our calculation. ISSCR does two jobs, issuing guidelines (standards) and holding an annual meeting (convening), so two boxes are highlighted.

3. What it does for iPS cells and regenerative medicine

ActivityWhat it coversCategory
GuidelinesThe Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation. The 2021 edition was fully revised, and in August 2025 only the section on stem cell-based embryo models was updated (v1.2). The guidelines have five chapters: ethical principles, embryo research and related areas, clinical translation, communication, and standards for researchSourced
Position on unproven treatmentsCells that have been substantially processed, among other products, should be shown to be safe and effective before they are sold to patients (Recommendation 3.1.1). Clinical use of unproven stem cell treatments should be limited to regulated clinical trials and similar settings (Recommendation 3.5.1). The guidelines call for particular scrutiny of trials that charge participants a feeSourced
Standards for laboratoriesMinimum standards for characterising and reporting on human stem cells, for laboratories that use them (available in English, with a Japanese-language PDF as well)Sourced
Guidance on pluripotent stem cell-derived therapiesA roadmap, published in 2025, covering everything from choosing a cell line to manufacturing the product, with regulatory information and timelines for nine jurisdictions. It is aimed at industry, academia and regulatorsSourced
Annual meeting and symposiaAbout 3,000 people attended the 2026 meeting in Montreal. In October 2026 it is holding the "iPSC 20th Anniversary Symposium" in Kyoto (sold out)Sourced
Dialogue with regulatorsIt says it meets formally with the UK's MHRA, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Japan's PMDA and Korea's MFDS, and has submitted comments to the FDA and to regulators in India and China (ISSCR's own account)Sourced
Information for patients and the publicPublishes materials and free courses on telling unproven treatments from real science (these do not recommend any particular treatment)Sourced

4. How far its influence reaches (powers and geography)

AspectWhat ISSCR hasWhat it does not have
PowersThe power to write and publish guidelines and standards, and to submit comments to regulatorsPowers of approval or authorisation, or to change any country's law. The guidelines do not override local law
GeographyInternational. Members in more than 80 countries. National frameworks and university policies refer to itAny means of compelling a particular country. Whether to refer to it is for each country or institution to decide
Binding forceA de facto standard, which arises when members and research institutions follow it voluntarilyPenalties for breaches, or steering through the allocation of funds (neither found within the sources checked)
ScaleAn annual meeting of about 3,000 people, and more than 150 volunteersPublished membership and budget figures (not found for this article)
A note on reading the numbers and the praise

Most of the claims that ISSCR is "widely referred to around the world" are written on ISSCR's own official pages. The National Academies comment and the UK code of practice, both cited as third-party recognition, were checked only through ISSCR's account of them; we did not check the original documents Not yet confirmed. We found no membership or financial figures on the official pages we checked.

5. Who else is involved: where its guidance lands

Where ISSCR's output reaches Institutions and regulators choose to refer to it. The final say rests with national law and regulators ISSCR Research society spanning more than 80 countries Guidelines Research and clinical use 2021 ed., updated 2025 Standards, guidance Stem cell lab standards PSC therapy guidance Meetings Annual meeting, c. 3,000 Kyoto iPSC anniversary Regulator dialogue Meets MHRA, EMA, PMDA, MFDS; input to FDA Who refers to it: institutions, frameworks Said to underpin the UK's embryo-model code National law and regulators decide Approval: Japan's health minister, FDA, EMA Note: ISSCR guidelines do not override local law
Fig. 2 Where ISSCR's output reaches. Sources: ISSCR's organisational pages, the text of the guidelines, and the pages for its annual meeting and symposia Sourced. The groupings in the figure are our own Our calculation.

ISSCR's ties with Japan are also visible on its official pages. Past presidents include Shinya Yamanaka (2012 to 2013) and Hideyuki Okano (listed as a past president in the officers' table) Sourced, and Yamanaka and others will give keynote talks at the commemorative symposium in Kyoto in October 2026 Sourced. The ISSCR laboratory standards also exist as a Japanese-language PDF Sourced. These are examples of exchange and outreach. They do not mean that ISSCR has any authority over Japan's approval system or its research funding.

6. Outlook

What the evidence suggestsPrimary information it rests onCategory
The "iPSC 20th Anniversary Symposium" will be held in Kyoto from 19 to 22 October 2026 (sold out, with no registration on the day)The event page gives the dates and venue, and says it is sold outNot yet confirmed
As pluripotent stem cell-derived therapies move closer to the clinic, practical documents on manufacturing and regulatory compliance (the guidance and its nine-jurisdiction summary) will carry more weightThe 2025 roadmap, and the president's message, which mentions the conditional approval of an iPS cell-derived product in Japan and several late-stage clinical trialsInference
Its emphasis will widen to setting standards for new approach methodologies (NAMs), which use stem cell-derived disease models in drug discovery"Disease models and drug discovery" is one of ISSCR's four pillars, and it says it brings together academia, industry and regulators to develop standardsInference

7. Glossary

ISSCR
The International Society for Stem Cell Research, an international society of stem cell researchers that publishes guidelines and standards.
Guidelines
ISSCR's guidance on research and clinical translation. It is not law, and it does not override national law.
Stem cell-based embryo model
A structure made from stem cells that resembles an early embryo. The relevant section of the guidelines was updated in 2025.
Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs)
A collective term for ES cells and iPS cells, which can turn into many kinds of cell.
NAMs
New approach methodologies: test methods that replace or supplement animal experiments.
Unproven stem cell treatment
A stem cell treatment offered to patients without approval from a regulator.

8. References

  1. ISSCR Our Impact: more than 80 countries, regular meetings with regulators, examples of the guidelines being referred to, responses to unproven treatments, and the 2025 roadmap for pluripotent stem cell-derived therapies. https://www.isscr.org/impact
  2. ISSCR Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation: the 2021 edition, the update v1.2 of August 2025, and the five chapters. https://www.isscr.org/resources/guidelines-for-stem-cell-research
  3. ISSCR Guidelines online, "Fundamental Ethical Principles": the statement that the guidelines do not override national laws. https://www.isscr.org/guidelines-online/fundamental-ethical-principles
  4. ISSCR Guidelines online, "Clinical Translation of Stem Cell-based Interventions": Recommendations 3.1.1 and 3.5.1, and the caution on trials that charge participants. https://www.isscr.org/guidelines-online/clinical-translation-of-stem-cell-based-interventions
  5. ISSCR Standards for Human Stem Cell Use in Research: minimum characterisation and reporting standards for laboratories, in English, Japanese and other languages. https://www.isscr.org/resources/standards
  6. ISSCR Best Practices for the Development of Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Therapies: guidance for industry, academia and regulators. https://www.isscr.org/resources/translational-best-practices
  7. ISSCR iPSC 20th Anniversary Symposium: 19 to 22 October 2026, Kyoto International Conference Hall. Sold out. https://www.isscr.org/upcoming-events/2026-kyoto-international-symposium
  8. ISSCR The Archives: the ISSCR 2026 annual meeting in Montreal, with about 3,000 attendees. The 2025 meeting was in Hong Kong. https://www.isscr.org/the-archives
  9. ISSCR Our People: officers, with Lorenz Studer as president, and Shinya Yamanaka and Hideyuki Okano among past presidents. https://www.isscr.org/people
  10. ISSCR President's message: more than 150 volunteers, the secretariat, and the priorities of clinical translation and new approach methodologies. https://www.isscr.org/isscr-news/advancing-discovery-translation-and-global-collaboration
  11. ISSCR FAQ & Resources: the headquarters location, Evanston, Illinois. https://www.isscr.org/faq
  12. ISSCR About Stem Cells: an information site for patients and the public, with free courses. https://www.aboutstemcells.org/

9. Claim-to-source audit

Claim in the articleCategorySource
More than 80 countries, meetings with regulators (MHRA, EMA, PMDA, MFDS), examples of the guidelines being referred to, and the 2025 roadmap (nine jurisdictions)SourcedISSCR's own account / Reference 1 https://www.isscr.org/impact
The 2021 edition of the guidelines, the update of August 2025 (the embryo-model section), and the five chaptersSourcedReference 2 https://www.isscr.org/resources/guidelines-for-stem-cell-research
The guidelines do not override national lawsSourcedReference 3 https://www.isscr.org/guidelines-online/fundamental-ethical-principles
Recommendations 3.1.1 and 3.5.1, and the caution on trials that charge participantsSourcedReference 4 https://www.isscr.org/guidelines-online/clinical-translation-of-stem-cell-based-interventions
Standards for laboratories (including the Japanese-language PDF)SourcedReference 5 https://www.isscr.org/resources/standards
Guidance on pluripotent stem cell-derived therapiesSourcedReference 6 https://www.isscr.org/resources/translational-best-practices
The dates, sell-out and keynote speakers of the October 2026 Kyoto symposiumSourcedReference 7 https://www.isscr.org/upcoming-events/2026-kyoto-international-symposium
The venue and attendance (about 3,000) of the 2026 annual meetingSourcedReference 8 https://www.isscr.org/the-archives
The president and past presidents (Shinya Yamanaka, Hideyuki Okano)SourcedReference 9 https://www.isscr.org/people
More than 150 volunteers, the secretariat, and the president's priorities (clinical translation, NAMs, international collaboration)SourcedReference 10 https://www.isscr.org/isscr-news/advancing-discovery-translation-and-global-collaboration
The headquarters locationSourcedReference 11 https://www.isscr.org/faq
The information site and courses for patients and the publicSourcedReference 12 https://www.aboutstemcells.org/
The four types of institution, and the groupings in Fig. 2Our calculationOur own classification in this article
Membership, budget, year of establishment, and checking the original documents behind the third-party recognitionNot yet confirmedNot stated in references 1 to 12; this article does not estimate them
The two inferences in the outlook (section 6)InferenceThis article's reading of references 1, 6 and 10

Last updated 1 October 2026 / Troy Technical
All figures come from ISSCR's official website. Much of the praise cited is ISSCR's own account of itself. Items marked "Inference" are this article's reading of the primary information, not statements by ISSCR.

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