It’s mid-June, which means that school’s out for the summer! While most students are cheering about their newfound freedom from the classroom, a special group of high school students are cheering about the start of the CIRM SPARK internship program. SPARK is CIRM’s high school educational program that gives students from underrepresented communities the opportunity … Continue reading School is out which means SPARK is in for the summer!
Month: June 2017
Have scientists discovered a natural way to boost muscle regeneration?
Painkillers like ibuprofen and aspirin are often a part of an athlete’s post-exercise regimen after intense workouts. Sore muscles, aches and stiffness can be more manageable by taking these drugs – collectively called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS – to reduce inflammation and pain. But research suggests that the anti-inflammatory effects of these painkillers might … Continue reading Have scientists discovered a natural way to boost muscle regeneration?
Nine months in, stem cell-based therapy for spinal cord injury continues to improve paralyzed patients’ lives
If you’ve been following the Stem Cellar blog this year, then you must be as encouraged as we are with Asterias Biotherapeutics’ CIRM-funded clinical trial, which is testing an embryonic stem cell-based therapy for spinal cord injury. Over many months, we’ve covered the company’s string of positive announcements that their cell therapy product – called … Continue reading Nine months in, stem cell-based therapy for spinal cord injury continues to improve paralyzed patients’ lives
Baseball’s loss is CIRM’s gain as Stanford’s Linda Boxer is appointed to Stem Cell Agency Board
One of the things that fascinates me is finding out how people end up in the job they have, the job they love. It is rare that the direction they started out on is the one they end on. Usually, people take several different paths, some intended, some unintended, to get to where they want … Continue reading Baseball’s loss is CIRM’s gain as Stanford’s Linda Boxer is appointed to Stem Cell Agency Board
Stories that caught our eye: color me stem cells, delivering cell therapy with nanomagnets, and stem cell decisions
Nanomagnets: the future of targeted stem cell therapies? Your blood vessels are made up of tightly-packed endothelial cells. This barrier poses some big challenges for the delivery of drugs via the blood. While small molecules are able make their way through the small gaps in the blood vessel walls, larger drug molecules, including proteins and cells, … Continue reading Stories that caught our eye: color me stem cells, delivering cell therapy with nanomagnets, and stem cell decisions
Throwback Thursday: Progress to a Cure for Diseases of Blindness
Welcome back to our “Throwback Thursday” series on the Stem Cellar. Over the years, we’ve accumulated an arsenal of exciting stem cell stories about advances towards stem cell-based cures for serious diseases. This month we’re featuring stories about CIRM-funded clinical trials for blindness. 2017 has been an exciting year for two CIRM-funded clinical trials that … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: Progress to a Cure for Diseases of Blindness
Stem cell repair of birth defect during pregnancy possible, rodent study shows
As far-fetched as it may sound, performing prenatal surgery on a fetus still growing inside its mother’s womb is actually possible. This specialized procedure is done to repair birth defects like spina bifida, in which a baby’s back bones don’t form properly around the spinal cord. This opening in the spine that leads to excess … Continue reading Stem cell repair of birth defect during pregnancy possible, rodent study shows
New stem cell technique gives brain support cells a starring role
Astrocytes are some of the most common cells in the brain and central nervous system but they often get overlooked because they play a supporting role to the more glamorous neurons (even though they outnumber them around 50 to 1). But a new way of growing those astrocytes outside the brain could help pave the … Continue reading New stem cell technique gives brain support cells a starring role
Latest space launch sends mice to test bone-building drug
Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) received some furry guests this weekend with the launch of SpaceX’s Dragon supply capsule. On Saturday June 3rd, 40 mice were sent to the ISS along with other research experiments and medical equipment. Scientists will be treating the mice with a bone-building drug in search of a new … Continue reading Latest space launch sends mice to test bone-building drug
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: brains, brains and more brains!
This week we bring you three separate stories about the brain. Two are exciting new advances that use stem cells to understand the brain and the third is plain creepy. Bioengineering better brains. Lab grown mini-brains got an upgrade thanks to a study published this week in Nature Biotechnology. Mini-brains are tiny 3D organs that … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: brains, brains and more brains!
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