For some forms of cancer, there really is no way to truly eradicate it. Even the most advanced chemotherapy treatments leave behind some straggler cells that can fuel a relapse. But now, scientists have devised a unique strategy, something they are calling a ‘one-two punch’ that can more effectively wipe out dangerous tumors, and lower … Continue reading Combination Cancer Therapy Gives Cells a Knockout Punch
Month: February 2015
All Things Being (Un)Equal: Scientists Discover Gene that Breaks Traditional Laws of Inheritance
One of the most fundamental laws of biology is about to be turned on its head, according to new research from scientists at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine. As reported in the journal PLOS Genetics, UNC researchers identified a gene that does not obey traditional laws that determine how genes get … Continue reading All Things Being (Un)Equal: Scientists Discover Gene that Breaks Traditional Laws of Inheritance
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: repairing radiation damage, beta thalassemia clinical trial and disease models
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 repair brain damage from radiation therapy. Radiation for brain cancer can be a lifesaver but it can also be a dramatic life changer. … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: repairing radiation damage, beta thalassemia clinical trial and disease models
MIT Scientists Recreate Malaria in a Dish to Test Promising Drug Candidates
At the beginning, it feels like the flu: aches, pains and vomiting. But then you begin to experience severe cold and shivering, followed by fever and sweating—a cycle, known as tertian fever, that repeats itself every two days. And that’s when you know: you’ve contracted malaria. But you wouldn’t be alone. According to the World … Continue reading MIT Scientists Recreate Malaria in a Dish to Test Promising Drug Candidates
Money matters: how investing in research advances stem cell science
Our goal at the stem cell agency is simple; to accelerate the development of successful therapies to patients with unmet medical needs. But on the way to doing that something interesting is happening; we’re helping advance the scientific understanding of stem cells and building a robust stem cell research community in California in the process. … Continue reading Money matters: how investing in research advances stem cell science
Newly Identified Stem Cells Breathe Life into Lung Disease Therapy
Breathing. So crucial to life yet so easy to take for granted—maybe because it’s one of the few functions our bodies control both unconsciously and consciously. But I imagine people with lung disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are all too aware as their continual struggle to breathe worsens over time. COPD, the third … Continue reading Newly Identified Stem Cells Breathe Life into Lung Disease Therapy
British Parliament votes to approve “three parent” baby law
After what is being described as “an historic debate”, the British Parliament today voted to approve the use of an IVF technique that critics say will lead to the creation of “three parent” babies. Parliament voted 382 to 128 in favor of the technique known as mitochondrial donation, which will prevent certain genetic diseases being … Continue reading British Parliament votes to approve “three parent” baby law
‘STARS’ Help Scientists Control Genetic On/Off Switch
All life on Earth relies, ultimately, on the delicate coordination of switches. During development, these switches turn genes on—or keep them off—at precise intervals, controlling the complex processes that guide the growth of the embryo, cell by cell, as it matures from a collection of stem cells into a living, breathing organism. If you control … Continue reading ‘STARS’ Help Scientists Control Genetic On/Off Switch
The Stem Cellar 