Stem cell research holds tremendous promise for the development of novel therapies for many serious diseases and injuries. While stem cell-based treatments have been established as a clinical standard of care for some conditions, such as hematopoietic stem cell transplants for leukemia,  other hematological disorders and immune disorders,epithelial stem cell-based treatments for burns and corneal disorders, the scope of potential stem cell-based therapies has expanded in recent years due to advances in stem cell research. There are currently over 3000 clinical trials testing novel stem cell-based interventions. In stem cell research as in all areas of medicine, the maturation of early-phase, experimental interventions into an accepted standard of medical practice is a long and complex process usually involving many years of rigorous preclinical and clinical testing.