The following factoid may induce an identity crisis for some people but it is true that our bodies carry more microbes than human cells. Some studies in 1970’s estimated the ratio at 10:1 though more recent calculations suggest we’re merely half microbe, half human. Because microbes are much smaller than human cells they make up … Continue reading Stem cell-derived mini-intestines reveal bacteria’s key role in building up a newborn’s gut
Month: November 2017
Surprise findings about bone marrow transplants could lead to more effective stem cell therapies
Some medical therapies have been around for so long that we naturally assume we understand how they work. That’s not always the case. Take aspirin for example. It’s been used for more than 4,000 years to treat pain and inflammation but it was only in the 1970’s that we really learned how it works. The … Continue reading Surprise findings about bone marrow transplants could lead to more effective stem cell therapies
Inspiring the next generation of stem cell scientists
“The technological breakthroughs that will be happening over the next few years – it’s your generation of scientists that will make this happen.” Dr. John Zaia, the Director of City of Hope’s Center for Gene Therapy, directed these words to a group of 55 talented high school students attending the 2017 CIRM SPARK meeting. SPARK … Continue reading Inspiring the next generation of stem cell scientists
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: the tale of a tail that grows back and Zika’s devious Trojan Horse
The tale of a tail that grows back (Kevin McCormack) Ask people what they know about geckos and the odds are they’ll tell you geckos have English accents and sell car insurance. Which tells you a lot more about the power of advertising than it does about the level of knowledge about lizards. Which is … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: the tale of a tail that grows back and Zika’s devious Trojan Horse
Clever technique uncovers role of stem cells in cartilage repair
Over 50 million adults in the U.S. are estimated to be affected by some form of arthritis, a very painful, debilitating condition in which the cartilage that provides cushioning within bone joints gradually degrades. Health care costs of treating arthritis in California alone has been estimated at over $12 billion and that figure is already … Continue reading Clever technique uncovers role of stem cells in cartilage repair
A Patient Advocate’s Personal Manifesto
Janni Lehrer-Stein was just 26 when she was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease and told she was going to be blind within six months. The doctor who gave her the news told her “But don’t worry, people like you are usually hit and killed by a bus long before they go completely blind.” At … Continue reading A Patient Advocate’s Personal Manifesto