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ABSTRACT This field trip visits exposures of two lithofacies assemblages in 16–11 Ma Santa Fe Group strata of the eastern Española Basin (Rio Grande rift, New Mexico, USA): eastern piedmont slope (lithosome A) and fluvial basin floor (lithosome B). The eastern Española Basin approximates a west-tilted half-graben bounded by the Pajarito-Embudo fault system, whose northern extent (the Embudo fault) serves as an interbasinal transfer structure. The basin has yielded abundant mammalian fauna. Recent refinement of their stratigraphic positions allows establishment of four biostratigraphic interval zones. Both lithosomes A and B progressively coarsen up-section. Prior to ca. 13.5 Ma, there were minor east-west shifts of their mutual interfingering contact. A major progradation of lithosome A occurred at 13.5–11 Ma, and at 13.1 Ma, there was a relatively abrupt coarsening of both lithosomes. The 13.5–11 Ma progradation occurs in the context of upward increasing δ18O and δ13C values in authigenic carbonates, interpreted to indicate more summer-dominated moisture and decreased vegetative productivity in a cooling paleoclimate. Prior to this progradation, paleoclimatic conditions during the Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO, 17–14.7 Ma) and ensuing Miocene Climate Transition (MCT, 14.7–13.8 Ma) were characterized by warmer temperatures (cooling slightly at the MCT), winter-dominated moisture, and higher plant productivity that resulted in a heterogeneous mosaic of open- and closed-canopy habitats We attribute the 13.5–11 Ma progradation to: (1) more intensive precipitation events and decreased vegetative stability of the paleo-landscape resulting in episodic higher paleodrainage sediment flux and competency; and (2) moderate to high rates of westward tilting of the half-graben that shifted the locus of deposition closer to the central fault system. 

Abstract Genomes record past climatic impact on species’ range shifts, admixture, refugial isolation, and adaptative evolution. However, these processes are poorly understood in perennial herbaceous species forming a dominant group of temperate flora. We present a demographic history of the perennial herb woodland strawberry (Fragaria vescaL.) reconstructed from 200 genomes spanning most of its European range. Temporal population structure reveals a strong division into western and eastern genetic clusters along a longitudinal climatic gradient, with eastern core populations showing greater resilience during glaciations. Divergence patterns indicate that postglacial recolonization of western and eastern Europe occurred from distinct refugia in multiple waves. The current largest, admixed populations from the Mediterranean to northern Europe form a continuous chain maintained by east–west gene flow through Central Europe, with historical migration patterns indicating comparable connections during earlier interglacials. Our reconstruction of woodland strawberry’s climatic history with high temporal resolution reveals how the late Pleistocene core-periphery dynamics shaped its survival and genome evolution under climate change. The data points to populations that are essential for maintaining the long term genetic diversity of the species and opens new avenues to understand climatic adaptation of temperate flora. 

This mini-review, inspired by the 20th Anniversary Stem Cells, Cell Therapies and Bioengineering in Lung Biology and Diseases conference, summarizes two decades of advances in human-specific lung disease modeling. We discuss endogenous stem cell-based platforms for both distal alveolar and proximal airway epithelia, including primary alveolar type II cells, bronchial and nasal epithelial cultures established as organoids, air-liquid interface cultures, and ex vivo preparations. Advances in iPSC-derived basal and alveolar epithelial cells, humanized graft models, and high-throughput therapeutic screening are highlighted. Collectively, these in vitro and in vivo models are transforming the study of lung development, injury, and repair, while accelerating drug discovery and regenerative medicine strategies. Finally, we emphasize the critical need for integrating immune components into organotypic cultures and for establishing rigorous validation and benchmarking standards to maximize translational relevance. 

The recent Lung Institute class action lawsuit is used as an example of patient-initiated lawsuits regarding unproven ?stem cell? interventions. Current regulatory considerations for administration and advertisement of cell therapies are contrasted to gaps that occurred in this case. We discuss lessons for coordinated and multipronged enforcement and litigation strategies and the role of scientists as expert witnesses in cases involving deceptive or harmful claims for so-called ?stem cell? interventions. This paper focuses specifically on US laws and regulations however the lessons learned can be extended to other regions worldwide. Global attention must be given to these issues as the propagation of unproven ?stem cell? interventions continues to grow not only in countries with limited regulation and oversight but also, as shown in this paper, in countries with strong regulatory agencies. 

Over the past two decades there have been remarkable advances in stem cell biology, bioengineering, and lung regenerative research, transforming our understanding of pulmonary biology from development to repair, and disease. Strategies using endogenous lung progenitor cells, pluripotent stem cell technologies, and engineered tissue platforms have become central tools for interrogating lung biology. Major breakthroughs have included the identification of diverse cell populations that coordinate lung homeostasis and repair, facilitated by the extensive adoption of single cell, multiomic and spatialomics approaches. Simultaneous progress in biomaterials, organoid systems, decellularized lung scaffolds, and lung-on-chip platforms has uncovered how extracellular matrix composition, mechanical forces, and tissue architecture contribute to the regulation of cell fate and function. These advances have enabled increasingly physiologically relevant in vitro, and ex vivo models while informing tissue engineering strategies aimed ultimately at functional lung replacement. Translation toward the clinic has advanced through both cell-based and cell-free therapeutic strategies. Early efforts focused largely on mesenchymal stromal cell-based approaches and extracellular vesicles, which have demonstrated safety and context-dependent efficacy in inflammatory lung diseases, alongside emerging preclinical evidence of functional engraftment of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived lung lineages. The past twenty years of progress, captured at the 20th Anniversary Stem Cells, Cell Therapies, and Bioengineering in Lung Biology and Diseases Conference, highlights the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing lung regeneration from foundational discovery toward therapeutic reality.