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. Stem cells reveal common cause of mental retardation. In science it can be frustrating to know what defect causes a condition, but not know how … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: fragile X syndrome, turning cancer into fat, and Parkinson’s

Over the years we have become used to seeing Hollywood celebrities testifying before Congress, championing a cause dear to their heart. Regardless of what we think of the individual involved, it’s a powerful and effective way to focus attention, particularly the media’s attention, on important issues.Yesterday, comedian, movie star, writer, director and producer Seth Rogen … Continue reading Why a famous comedian told Congress that Alzheimer’s is no laughing matter

Here nerves (red) grow out of neural stem cells, but the current work coaxed other adult brain cells to directly become functioning nerves.Many believe the ultimate solution in regenerative medicine will be inducing the body to mimic the activity of stem cells without having to transplant any cells. Now, a team at the University of … Continue reading Team tricked scar tissue on spinal cord injury into becoming new nerves without stem cell transplant

On Monday evening Friends of the Berkeley Lab hosted Science at the Theater. This ongoing series is a great example of how complex scientific topics can be made accessible to the public, and how the public will turn out to hear about them. Another example is CIRM’s grantee elevator pitch competition.During the Monday event five … Continue reading Dress Codes for Martians: how the Theater of Science can give us glimpses into the future

bone marrow with acute myeloid leukemia (credit: Vashi Donsk; Wikimedia Commons) “So doc, what’s my prognosis?” It’s the question foremost on the minds of people who have been diagnosed with cancer. Yet giving a specific answer to an individual patient can be a challenge for cancer doctors. As the National Cancer Institute states on their … Continue reading The fight is on: predicting cancer outcomes with stem cells for better treatment choices

Alan AldaWho knew that movie star, actor and writer Alan Alda and I had so much in common! Well, one thing in common at least – an appreciation of the importance of scientists also being good communicators.Alda is best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in the TV series “M*A*S*H” but he’s also a … Continue reading Actor, writer and science-buff Alan Alda’s call to action for scientists

skin cells labeled with fluorescence dyesIt’s one thing to get a stem cell to turn into something that closely resembles another kind of cell, say a heart cell. But it’s another thing altogether to get it to change into a cell that not only resembles another cell, but acts exactly like it too. That’s what … Continue reading Turning skin into mature liver cells. And they work!

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. TED video on engineering new bone. Two young Columbia University bioengineers use this TED video to remind us how barbaric our current system of obtaining … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: tissue engineering bone, cartilage for arthritis and partisanship in science

It’s always fascinating watching the arc of a news story. I woke up on January 29th to news, as the BBC World Service put it, “of a big breakthrough in stem cell research.” The reporter then went on to explain how scientists had created a whole new type of pluripotent stem cell – the kind … Continue reading It’s a big breakthrough. Wait, maybe, maybe not. Taking a second look at STAP

  iPS heart cells beating in a dish: Courtesy Wired magazine Each new breakthrough in stem cell science is cause for celebration. But pretty quickly after the champagne corks have flown researchers start asking follow-up questions such as “how can we do this faster, more efficiently, more effectively?”For some years now researchers have been able … Continue reading Be still my beating ventricle – Researchers come up with a better way to make heart cells