The US government appealed the August 23 ruling by Judge Royce Lamberth that created a temporary ban on human embryonic stem cell research. According to Nature: The documents filed by the government consist of two actions – an appeal of last week’s decision, which will be heard by the United States Court of Appeals for … Continue reading Government appeals stem cell ruling, claims harm to patients

The NIH has stopped all human embryonic stem cell research being conducted on its campus, in response to the August 23 injunction on all such research.According to Science: The agency has eight research projects that use hESCs, most if not all of which use lines approved under the Bush Administration, say NIH officials. It also … Continue reading NIH halts intramural human embryonic stem cell research

On Monday federal judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research impermissible under current laws. This decision had the immediate effect of shutting down the ability of the NIH to fund research using human embryonic stem cells, a result that NIH Director Francis Collins likened to pouring sand in the … Continue reading What the embryonic stem cell research ban means to California researchers

Human neural stem cells transplantedinto mice grew into neural tissuecells, such as oligodendrocytes.Brian Cummings / UCIA study published last week by CIRM grantees at UC Irvine gives a big ray of hope to people living with spinal cord injuries. Brian Cummings and Aileen Anderson showed that human neural stem cells could restore some mobility to … Continue reading Neural stem cells help mice with chronic spinal cord injury walk again

CIRM grantees at the Buck Institute for Age Research have treated a rat version of Parkinson’s disease using transplanted cells that originated from iPS cells -- embryonic-like cells made from reprogramming adult cells. A press release from the Novato-based Buck Institute quotes CIRM president Alan Trouson as saying:“The studies are very encouraging for potential cell … Continue reading Stem cells treat Parkinson’s disease in rats

This week researchers at the University of Minnesota published a paper showing that stem cells from the bone marrow can help kids with a blistering skin condition called epidermolysis bullosa. The disease is horrible. Lacking a protein to anchor skin in place, the children's blister at the slightest touch -- on their skin, in their … Continue reading Stem cells treat life-threatening skin condition

A disclaimer: this work was not funded by CIRM, nor does it directly have to do with stem cell research. It is, however, extremely cool, and strikes close to home. I spent hours as an undergrad slicing off the limbs of newts and marveling as the tiny fingers and toes re-emerged on newly formed limbs. … Continue reading Mouse muscles mimic newt regeneration

The past few days have sent the blogosphere -- especially the anti-embryonic stem cell blogosphere -- abuzz over a story by the Associated Press with the headline "Adult Stem Cell Research Far Ahead of Embryonic." It's true. At this time there are many adult stem cell trials and only one embryonic stem cell trial underway. … Continue reading The competition that isn’t: Adult vs. embryonic stem cells