When I first started working for California’s stem cell institute in 2008 I would never have guessed that we would be funding 15 clinical trials by the end of 2015. Medical science usually does not move that fast. But I, like most people back then, probably thought about stem cell science too narrowly, mostly as … Continue reading CIRM’s clinical trial portfolio shows off stem cells’ many talents
Month: December 2015
A New Vaccine Could Make Stem Cell Transplants Safer
Stem cell transplants offer a lot of promise for treating or curing patients who’ve exhausted their therapeutic options. However, there are some potential risks associated with putting stem cells into the human body such as cancer and infection. But scientists and clinicians are working hard to reduce the risk of stem cell therapies by testing … Continue reading A New Vaccine Could Make Stem Cell Transplants Safer
HIV/AIDS: Progress and Promise of Stem Cell Research
Our friends at Americans for Cures and Youreka Science have done it again. They’ve produced another whiteboard video about the progress and promise of stem cell research that’s so inspiring that it would probably make Darth Vader consider coming back to the light side. This time they tackled HIV. If you haven’t watched one of … Continue reading HIV/AIDS: Progress and Promise of Stem Cell Research
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: back repair, stem cell aging, babies for same sex couples, chimeras
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. Getting the right cells for back repair. We often write that stem cells found in fat tissue can form bone, cartilage and other connective tissue. … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: back repair, stem cell aging, babies for same sex couples, chimeras
Four Challenges to Making the Best Stem Cell Models for Brain Diseases
Neurological diseases are complicated. A single genetic mutation causes some, while multiple genetic and environmental factors cause others. Also, within a single neurological disease, patients can experience varying symptoms and degrees of disease severity. And you can’t just open up the brain and poke around to see what’s causing the problem in living patients. It’s … Continue reading Four Challenges to Making the Best Stem Cell Models for Brain Diseases
Board gives stem cell institute marching orders, and a road map
The poet T. S. Eliot once wrote: “If you aren't in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?” Well, everyone at CIRM, California’s stem cell institute, is about to find out how tall we are. Yesterday our governing Board approved a new Strategic Plan. Calling it ambitious might be an understatement. … Continue reading Board gives stem cell institute marching orders, and a road map
Wiping out a cell’s identity shifts cellular reprogramming into high gear
If stretched out end to end, the DNA in just one cell of your body would reach a whopping six feet in length. A complex cellular structure called chromatin – made up of coils upon coils of DNA and protein – makes it possible to fit all that DNA into a single cell nucleus that’s … Continue reading Wiping out a cell’s identity shifts cellular reprogramming into high gear
A step forward for Parkinson’s disease?
Imagine how frustrating it would be to not know whether you could physically sit through a dinner with friends or to worry about getting stuck in the grocery isle, fighting against a body that refuses to move. These nightmare-like experiences are what many Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients deal with on a daily basis. PD affects … Continue reading A step forward for Parkinson’s disease?
The Critical Role of Patient Advocates in Accelerating Stem Cell Cures
At CIRM, our goal is to bring stem cell therapies to patients with unmet medical needs, and we do that by funding the most promising and innovative research in regenerative medicine. A critical component of this goal is to support our patient advocates and make sure that their voices are heard. At this year’s World … Continue reading The Critical Role of Patient Advocates in Accelerating Stem Cell Cures
Why Right to Try laws are more feel good than do good
In the last few years some 24 states have approved so-called “Right to Try” laws. These are intended to give terminally ill patients faster and easier access to experimental therapies. But a panel of experts at the World Stem Cell Summit said they are more symbolic than anything. Right to try laws do little to … Continue reading Why Right to Try laws are more feel good than do good