⏰ when

When was the first successful stem cell transplant performed in humans?

Human BiologyMedical History

Quick Answer

The first successful hematopoietic stem cell transplant in humans was performed in 1956. It was a bone marrow transplant between identical twins.

The Full Story

The first successful human stem cell transplant is usually traced to 1956, when E. Donnall Thomas and colleagues performed a bone marrow transplant between identical twins. Bone marrow contains blood-forming stem cells, and the procedure showed that these cells could rebuild a damaged blood system. It became the foundation for modern bone marrow transplantation in leukemia and immune disorders. E. Donnall Thomas later received the 1990 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for this work.

Key Facts

1.Performed in 1956
2.Used bone marrow stem cells
3.E. Donnall Thomas later won the Nobel Prize

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Suggested video title for this topic:

"The transplant that made stem cells famous"