Henry E. Young, PhD

For over five decades, I have dedicated my career to understanding tissue regeneration, beginning in 1975 with studies on limb regeneration in adult terrestrial salamanders. My central question has always been: if salamanders can regenerate damaged tissues, why can’t humans? Through decades of research, I have demonstrated that humans possess the capacity to regenerate damaged tissues using adult-derived stem cells. My work has led to the isolation and cloning of highly specialized precursor cells from adult mammals, including humans, ranging from progenitor and germ-layer lineage stem cells to pluripotent and totipotent stem cells. These cells have shown the ability to generate all tissues of the body, germ cells, and embryonic placental cell types. Our studies indicate that the most primitive adult-derived totipotent stem cells produce the strongest regenerative outcomes in vivo. To date, 18 clinical trials have demonstrated 100% safety and an average 86% effectiveness in improving neurological, ocular, pulmonary, cardiovascular, autoimmune, renal, systemic, and orthopedic conditions. My work remains focused on advancing regenerative therapies for incurable diseases and traumatic injuries using adult telomerase-positive stem cells.