Presented herein are methods of generating an induced stem cell (iSC) from a somatic cell, by contacting the somatic cell with an induction factor that reprograms the somatic cell to generate an iSC. The induction factor can be a genetic construct or a fusion protein. Where the induction factor is a genetic construct, the construct bears one or more nucleotide sequences encoding one or more reprogramming elements selected from OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, and a Notch pathway molecule, or an active fragment or derivative thereof. The genetic construct can have a lentiviral or episomal vector backbone. The induction factor can also be a fusion protein, with the reprogramming element being a protein selected from OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, or a Notch pathway molecule, or an active fragment or derivative thereof. The fusion protein can be TAT protein or an active fragment or derivative thereof.
