Leo Loeb developed an experimental approach to studying cancer and pioneered techniques for tissue culture and in vitro tissue transplantation which impacted early-to-mid twentieth century experimental embryology. Loeb received his medical degree from the University of Zurich in 1897. As part of his doctorate, he completed a thesis on the outcomes of tissue transplantation in guinea pigs. Loeb's thesis inspired a life-long interest in tissue transplantation. His research culminated in greater than 400 publications, including a book called The Biological Basis of Individuality, in which he demonstrated the potential immortality of certain mammalian tissues.

The discovery of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) provided a pioneering step in stem cell research. HSCs are a type of multipotent adult stem cell, characterized by their ability to self-renew and differentiate into erythrocyte (red blood cell) and leukocyte (white blood cell) cell lineages. In terms of function, these cells are responsible for the continual renewal of the erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets in the body through a process called hematopoiesis. They also play an important role in the formation of vital organs such as the liver and spleen during fetal development. The early biological knowledge obtained from the studies of HSCs established the base of knowledge for understanding other stem cell systems. In addition, these cells have a vital role in furthering stem cell research for clinical applications. Regenerative medicine is a field of medicine that has applied HSCs to the treatment of blood-borne diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma and of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Thomas Joseph King Jr. was a developmental biologist who, with fellow scientist Robert Briggs, pioneered a method of transplanting nuclei from blastula cells into fresh egg cells lacking nuclei. This method, dubbed nuclear transplantation, facilitated King's studies on cancer cell development. King's work was instrumental for the development of cloning of fish, insects, and mammals.

In 2020, Frans Schutgens and Hans Clevers published “Human Organoids: Tools for Understanding Biology and Treating Diseases,” hereafter “Human Organoids,” in the journal Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease. Organoids are miniature, three-dimensional structures that closely mimic the structure and function of a specific organ. Scientists make organoids in the lab using stem cells, which are a type of cell that has the ability to replicate themselves or to develop into various cell types in the body. “Human Organoids” is a review article that describes the use of human organoids as tools for understanding development, the biological processes that occur in the body, and the treatment of diseases and disorders. “Human Organoids” provided researchers with an in-depth resource on the use of organoids for disease modeling, finding new treatments for various forms of cancer, and treating genetic conditions.

A lymphoblastoid cell line, or LCL, is an immortalized population of cells derived from a specific type of white blood cell called a B lymphocyte that scientists around the world began using for biomedical research in the late 1960s. By immortalized, scientists mean that the cells have been altered so they can grow and divide indefinitely, or at least for an extended period of time. That trait of LCLs makes them useful as a replenishable source of cells and the DNA contained within them. Scientists obtain LCLs by first collecting a blood sample and then exposing the B lymphocytes in the blood to Epstein-Barr virus, or EBV. EBV alters the B lymphocytes in such a way that the cells begin to multiply without restraint. Researchers began making and storing LCLs from individuals around the world in the 1960s. As of 2025, LCLs form a mainstay of biomedical research, especially in human genetics and genomics.