Can you tell the difference? Embryonic (left) and iPS cells side by side First there were embryonic stem cells. Then came induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, which start out as adult cells, such as skin cells. Using a variety of methods, scientists can turn these adult cells into iPS cells, which can then be changed … Continue reading Remembrance of things past – how some stem cells remember what they used to be

One of the most amazing parts of working at the stem cell agency is being part of an organization that is helping chart a whole new approach to treating disease and is breaking new ground in the ways it does that. Yesterday’s Board meeting was a perfect example.Our governing Board, the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee … Continue reading Genomics award advances the field and catches the attention of the media

When most people think of Board meetings the usual image is of a fairly dry, business-focused talk around a big table. Clearly those people have never been to a meeting of our Board, the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (ICOC).They are never dry, or dull, and today’s Board meeting is likely to be even livelier than … Continue reading You won’t be bored at our Board meeting

On the first Monday of every month the stem cell agency staff all gather to talk about some of the most pressing issues facing us. It's a chance to share information and exchange ideas. At a recent meeting one of our legal team, Cynthia Schaffer, used the occasion as the inspiration for this blog. It is … Continue reading A view from the inside: one person’s perspective on the stem cell agency

Researchers have used stem cells to help retinal cells like these grow the blood vessels they need.Here are some stem cell stories that caught our eye this past week. Some are groundbreaking science, others are of personal interest to us, and still others are just fun. iPS stem cells from cord blood for retina repair. … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: blindness, targeting cancer and science literacy

You know you have hit on an important topic when the conversation continues long after you expected it to end. That’s certainly what happened with yesterday’s Google Hangout on Diabetes that we hosted. While the Hangout itself was, I thought, engaging and informative, it clearly only began to touch on the full scope of the … Continue reading Hanging out after the Hangout – how a talk about a new treatment for type 1 diabetes sparked a deeper conversation

Peyton Manning (courtesy Jeffrey Beall/Wikimedia Commons/Flickr) Here in San Francisco, 49ers fans are still stinging from their football team’s defeat up in Seattle last Sunday. But there’s no denying reality: the stage has been set for Super Bowl XLVIII between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks. One of the popular stories during the two-week … Continue reading NFL Quarterback’s Super Bowl Bid Doesn’t Validate his Unproven Stem Cell Treatment

In science a logical hypothesis is not good enough. You have to do the science to put the logic to the test. A team at Ohio State proved this in spades in a recent study looking at cancer stem cells. Specifically looking at oral cancers, the team compared those cancers associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) … Continue reading Surprising finding with cancer stem cells drives home the need for testing any hypothesis.

Photo courtesy Fotos GOVBAIt’s been well known for many years that the number of people with diabetes is on the rise, but the sheer impact of that increase is staggering. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the annual direct and indirect health care costs associated with diabetes rose to $245 billion in 2012. That’s … Continue reading Hangout with us tomorrow, it’s one hour that could change your life