{"doi":"10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.05.015","title":"Extraordinary challenge, extraordinary achievement: 2020–2021 year in review","abstract":"What an extraordinary year this has been for science. We witnessed an amazing international response for vaccine development to combat COVID-19. Never before has a drug passed so quickly from the bench through regulatory hurdles to bedside. We saw science take center stage in the media as our community rose to the challenge of the pandemic. And, behind the headlines of COVID-19, we watched our colleagues pass major milestones in stem cell research and regenerative medicine. Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and we recognized that their methodology in genome editing will be key in the next phase of cell therapy and clinical application. At the same time, advances in 3D organ and embryo modeling brought us closer than ever before to replicating development so that we can understand why it goes wrong, model disease, and engage in drug discovery. These emerging technologies now allow us to interrogate cell identity and behavior at a single-cell level in immense detail using innovations in imaging and computational biology. Just as the year brought transformation in science, it brought transformation to our society. Amid upheaval, we pushed forward and established new ways to communicate your findings to the rest of the world. It was a year of resilience, innovation, and progress that will serve our community well in the years to come. Last month, we released the 2021 update of the ISSCR Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation. This update—led by Robin Lovell-Badge of the Francis Crick Institute, UK who chaired the ISSCR task force—marks the culmination of nearly two years of international collaboration among experts in stem cell science, ethics, and law. It is arguably the most anticipated Guidelines release in our society’s history, again setting the standard for responsible and ethical stem cell research worldwide. The updated Guidelines provide new recommendations in response to emerging areas of research with great scientific potential. As with previous versions, the 2021 Guidelines update is forward-looking, intending to capture the science now and anticipate advances in the forseale future. The ISSCR Guidelines maintain rigorous review for human stem cell and embryo research and related research activities, and they provide additional clarity and criteria for oversight. This year, we saw rapid advances in stem cell science related to human embryos, embryo models, organoids, chimeras, and chimeric embryos and the development of new therapies that have generated robust conversation among the scientific community, the media, and the public. The society will open the 2021 Annual Meeting in June with a panel discussion led by members of the Guidelines task force, giving attendees the chance to learn more about the recommendations and rationale behind key changes. We all learned to communicate differently this year, using new media platforms to disseminate science, and calling on partnerships that collectively make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Stem Cell Reports, the ISSCR’s open-access, online journal, continued to publish high-impact primary research articles, reviews, and perspectives across a breadth of stem cell science—but the way we are sharing content and spurring collaboration is evolving. One of the most exciting endeavors is a new podcast, The Stem Cell Report with Martin Pera. Each episode goes “beyond the paper” with authors to draw new insights and explore the questions and creativity that propel new breakthroughs. The first episode featured Janet Rossant and Patrick Tam discussing their perspective article, “Opportunities and challenges with stem cell-based embryo models.” Each month brings new episodes featuring authors discussing their work. I urge you to subscribe. In September, Stem Cell Reports officially became the “home” journal for EUROoCS member publications that focus on the use and application of stem cells. 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