Diets these days are a dime a dozen, and dietary trends come and go. First eggs were “out” because they contain cholesterol, but now they are back “in” because we now know that some types of cholesterol can be actually good for the body. Then there was the era of “fat-free” or “reduced-fat” foods. This … Continue reading What’s Fat Got to do With Alzheimer’s?
Month: August 2015
CIRM-funded clinical trial for spinal cord injury reports promising results
Today, the Menlo Park-based biotech company Asterias Biotherapeutics reported positive results from the first three patients treated in its Phase 1/2a clinical study using stem cell therapy to treat patients with spinal cord injury. This trial is funded by a CIRM Strategic Partnerships Award grant of $14.3 million. Asterias has developed a stem cell therapy … Continue reading CIRM-funded clinical trial for spinal cord injury reports promising results
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: getting the right cell, an energy booster, history of controversy and a fun video
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. Light used to direct stem cell fate. Stem cells respond to a symphony of cellular signals telling them to remain stem cells or to mature … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: getting the right cell, an energy booster, history of controversy and a fun video
Boo-Boos and Stem Cells: New Children’s Book Explains Body’s Healing Process
With two boys under six, scraped elbows and knees are a common sight in my household. After the crying and tears subside, the excitement of deciding between the Captain America or the Lightning McQueen band aid soon follows. Over those next several days, my boys get a thrill out of peeking at their boo-boos as they gradually heal. … Continue reading Boo-Boos and Stem Cells: New Children’s Book Explains Body’s Healing Process
Bye Bye BORIS: Gene Silencing Gives Cancer Stem Cells the Boot
A popular theory behind why cancer tumors recur post treatment is the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). These cells have stem cell-like qualities and are stubbornly resistant to common cancer cell killing techniques such as radiation and chemotherapy. CSCs are resilient and can reproduce themselves after all other cancer cells die off, creating new … Continue reading Bye Bye BORIS: Gene Silencing Gives Cancer Stem Cells the Boot
Cell mate: the man who makes stem cells for clinical trials
When we announced that one of the researchers we fund - Dr. Henry Klassen at the University of California, Irvine - has begun his clinical trial to treat the vision-destroying disease retinitis pigmentosa, we celebrated the excitement felt by the researchers and the hope from people with the disease. But we missed out one group. … Continue reading Cell mate: the man who makes stem cells for clinical trials
Study Identifies Safer Stem Cell Therapies
To reject or not reject, that is the question facing the human immune system when new tissue or cells are transplanted into the body. Stem cell-therapy promises hope for many debilitating diseases that currently have no cures. However, the issue of immune rejection has prompted scientists to carefully consider how to develop safe stem cell … Continue reading Study Identifies Safer Stem Cell Therapies
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: A groove for healing hearts, model for muscular dystrophy and the ice bucket worked
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. A tight groove could help heal a heart. We have written several posts with the theme “It takes a village to raise a stem cell.” … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: A groove for healing hearts, model for muscular dystrophy and the ice bucket worked
New Regenerative Liver Cells Identified
It’s well known that the liver is a regeneration champion. It is one of the few internal organs that can strongly regenerate after injury. Regenerative liver cells Other organs, like the heart and lungs, cannot do this and instead form scar tissue to protect damaged areas. Liver regeneration is essential for human health because the … Continue reading New Regenerative Liver Cells Identified
Researchers cool to idea of ice bath after exercise
Have you ever had a great workout, really pushed your body and muscles hard and thought “You know what would be good right now? A nice plunge into an ice bath.” No. Me neither. But some people apparently believe that taking an ice bath after a hard workout can help their muscles rebound and get … Continue reading Researchers cool to idea of ice bath after exercise