Skip to main content

Stem cell therapy work could solve hairy problem, banish baldness for good

Stem cells may have a part to play in regrowing everything from teeth to eyeballs, and now researchers at UCLA are working on something that would be welcomed by people suffering from a very common problem — regrowing hair in bald people. In new research, they describe a new way to activate the stem cells in the hair follicle to make new hair sprout. Such a breakthrough could potentially be used to develop drugs for promoting hair growth in people with either baldness or alopecia.

“We found that hair follicle stem cells practice a distinct type of metabolism, and that if you fiddle with it genetically or pharmacologically, you can control the rate at which these cells wake up to make new hair shafts,” Bill Lowry, a professor of molecular, cell, and developmental biology at UCLA, told Digital Trends.

Recommended Videos

Hair follicle stem cells generate hair over an individual’s lifetime. These remain dormant much of the time, but activate quickly when a new hair cycle prompts growth. When they don’t activate, baldness occurs. In small animal studies, the team was able to identify two drugs that influence hair follicle growth when applied to the skin. One drug is named RCGD423, and works by activating a cellular-signaling pathway that transmits information from outside the cell to the cell’s nucleus. The other drug, called UK5099, works by forcing the production of lactate in hair follicle stem cells, thereby accelerating hair growth.

“We showed that drugs that promote production of a particular metabolite can accelerate hair follicle stem cell activation in mice,” Lowry said. “We are pushing forward toward the clinic to determine if this same approach is viable for human hair in patients with thinning due to stress, age, chemotherapy, [and] hormone imbalance.”

There is still more work to be done before that point can be reached. As of now, the experimental drugs have not been tested in humans, nor approved as safe by the Food and Drug Administration. Researchers are optimistic that it will reach that point. “We are considering starting a new company to support the ongoing development of new compounds that could be drugs for testing in a clinical trial,” Lowry said.

A paper describing the research was recently published in the journal Nature Cell Biology.

Luke Dormehl
I'm a UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends. I've also written for Fast Company, Wired, the Guardian…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more