Posts from my colleagues who were at the World Stem Cell Summit this week reminded me about the short video interviews we did last year with patient advocates. One of the best parts of this meeting is always seeing the scientists mix with the patient advocates and meet the people who really stand to benefit … Continue reading Short takes from patient advocates at the World Stem Cell Summit #wscs12

Sabrina Cohen at the World Stem Cell Summit with Chris Makos, who is an advisor to the Sabrina Cohen FoundationLast night the World Stem Cell Summit honored Sabrina Cohen with its Inspiration award for her remarkable work in raising awareness about stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine. Sabrina suffered a severe spinal cord injury in … Continue reading Sabrina Cohen honored for providing inspiration and raising awareness #wscs12

At last night's World Stem Cell Summit awards dinner, one of the award recipients was 60 Minutes for their two-part “21st Century Snake Oil” investigation. According to the award website:CBS News’ “60 Minutes” has provided an invaluable contribution to public awareness exposing risks and rip-offs foisted upon vulnerable patients and their families. The two-part “21st … Continue reading Stem cell action awards gives nod to scientists fighting unregulated stem cell clinics #wscs12

Paul Knoepfler, a CIRM grantee at UC Davis, blogger and stem cell advocate talks about the role advocates can play in promoting stem cell researchThere was a fascinating afternoon session at the World Stem Cell Summit on the power and role of the patient advocate in advancing stem cell research and particularly in overcoming the … Continue reading “If they feel the heat, they see the light”: the role of the stem cell advocate #wscs12

Paul Knoepfler, a CIRM grantee at UC Davis, blogger and stem cell advocate talks about the role advocates can play in promoting stem cell researchThere was a fascinating afternoon session at the World Stem Cell Summit on the power and role of the patient advocate in advancing stem cell research and particularly in overcoming the … Continue reading "If they feel the heat, they see the light": the role of the stem cell advocate #wscs12

Geoff Lomax took this photo during a talk by Joshua Hunsberger form the NIH Center for Regenerative Medicine during the World Stem Cell Summit. It shows the type of stem cell research funded by the NIH during 2011. By far, the largest percentage (47%) has gone to tissue-specific stem cells in animals. Human embryonic stem … Continue reading NIH vs. CIRM funding of stem cell research #wscs12

A panel at the World Stem Cell Summit discussed the unproven uses of stem cells Tuesday morning the World Stem Cell Summit turned its attention to the use of “unproven” stem cells in clinics. This is an issue that has come to prominence in recent years, as clinics internationally and in the U.S. advertise (and charge … Continue reading Panel investigates unproven stem cell therapies #wscs12

An afternoon session at the World Stem Cell Summit turned its attention to legal and policy issues impacting stem cell research. Beth Roxland from the Hofstra University Bioethics Center described a lawsuit (Feminists Choosing Life v. Empire State Stem Cell Board) against New York's stem cell research program. The lawsuit had to do with New … Continue reading Legal and Policy Challenges to Stem Cell Research

Sally Temple of the Neural Stem Cell Institute showed this slide during her talk at the World Stem Cell Summit comparing telephone technology since she started in the laboratory until now. She says the same leap of technology has occurred with cell research and stem cells.G.L. Read more stem cell research news from the California … Continue reading Advances in stem cell research: like going from a landline to an iPhone #wscs12

George Daley opened the World Stem Cell Summit in West Palm Beach, FloridaGeoff Lomax is CIRM's Senior Officer to the Standards Working Group Dr. Daley kicked off the World Stem Cell Summit by describing the strengths and opportunities for the field. To illustrate near-term strengths, he described his research on  a disease that results in … Continue reading Near-term use for iPS cells: repurposing existing drugs