December 22, 2009 - The journal Nature Methods has selected induced pluripotent stem cells, first generated by CiRA Director Shinya Yamanaka's research team, as its Method of the Year 2009. The journal announced online on December 20.

According to the journal's website, iPS cells has "wide-ranging potential as a tool for discovery in both disease and basic biology" as the technology has advanced at a rapid pace with more and more researchers entering the new field. Yamanaka announced the generation of mouse iPS cells in 2006 and of human iPS cells in 2007.

The journal Science has named "Reprogramming Cells" as the top research advance of 2008 in the "Science Breakthrough of the Year."

Nature Methods: http://www.nature.com/nmeth/focus/moy2009/index.html