Arnold Caplan
Arnold I. Caplan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Arnold Irving Caplan January 5, 1942 |
| Died | January 10, 2024 (aged 82) |
| Alma mater | Illinois Institute of Technology (B.S.), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Ph.D.) |
| Known for | Discovery and characterization of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) |
| Awards | Marshall R. Urist Award, TERMIS Lifetime Achievement Award, Case Western Reserve University Faculty Innovator Award |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Regenerative medicine, stem cell biology, tissue engineering |
| Institutions | Case Western Reserve University |
Arnold I. Caplan (January 5, 1942 – January 10, 2024) was an American scientist and professor at Case Western Reserve University. Known as the "father of mesenchymal stem cells" (MSCs), his research laid the foundation for numerous clinical applications of MSCs in treating human diseases.
Early life and education
Arnold Irving Caplan was born on January 5, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in a working-class family and excelled in academics from a young age.
Caplan earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Chemistry from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1964 and went on to complete his Ph.D. in Biochemistry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1969.[1]
Academic career
Caplan joined Case Western Reserve University as an assistant professor in 1969 and became a full professor in 1981. He served as the founding director of the university's Skeletal Research Center and held secondary appointments at the Case School of Engineering and the School of Medicine.[1]
In 1992, Caplan founded Osiris Therapeutics to commercialize MSC technology. Osiris became one of the first companies to develop allogeneic cell therapies and achieved regulatory clearance for a stem cell drug in 2012.[2]
Research contributions
Caplan isolated human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from adult bone marrow in the late 1980s. This discovery demonstrated MSCs' ability to:
- Modulate the immune system.
- Inhibit programmed cell death and scar formation.
- Stimulate blood-vessel formation.
- Promote tissue-specific stem cell growth.[1]
Caplan proposed renaming MSCs to "Medicinal Signaling Cells" to better reflect their therapeutic functions.[3] His work impacted treatments for multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, spinal cord injuries, cancer, and other conditions.[2]
Caplan authored over 400 scientific papers and held more than 20 patents related to MSC technology.[4]
Awards and honors
Caplan received numerous accolades throughout his career:
- Marshall R. Urist Award for Excellence in Tissue Regeneration Research[2]
- TERMIS Lifetime Achievement Award[3]
- Case Western Reserve University Faculty Innovator Award[1]
- Regenerative Medicine Foundation's Stem Cell Action Lifetime Achievement Award (2022)[5]
Personal life
Caplan trained over 150 researchers during his career.[1] He was married to Bonnie Caplan for 58 years, with whom he had 2 children. He also had 6 grandchildren.[2]
Death
Arnold I. Caplan died on January 10, 2024, at the age of 82.[1]
External links
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Faculty member Arnold Caplan passes away". Case Western Reserve University. 17 January 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Remembering Arnold Caplan: Father Of Mesenchymal Stem Cells - Stem Cell Institute Panama". www.cellmedicine.com. 2024-01-22. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ^ a b "Remembering Arnold Caplan: Father Of Mesenchymal Stem Cells". Cell Medicine. 22 January 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ "Rest in Peace Arnie". Regenexx Blog. 13 January 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ Atala, A. (June 6, 2022). "An Interview with Cell Therapy Pioneer, Arnold Caplan". Stem Cells Translational Medicine. 11 (6): 567–571. doi:10.1093/stcltm/szac026. PMC 9216494.