UC Irvine's Dr. Leslie Thompson and patient advocate Frances Saldana after the CIRM Board vote to approve funding for Huntington's disease If you were looking for a poster child for an unmet medical need Huntington’s disease (HD) would be high on the list. It’s a devastating disease that attacks the brain, steadily destroying the ability … Continue reading Rare Disease Gets Big Boost from California’s Stem Cell Agency
Month: January 2019
Gene therapy and blood stem cells cure sickle cell disease patients
Sickle-shaped blood cells. The cells become lodged in blood vessels, causing strokes or excruciating pain as blood stops flowing. Photo courtesy of Omikron/Science Source Blood is the lifeline of the body. The continuous, unimpeded circulation of blood maintains oxygen flow throughout the body and enables us to carry out our everyday activities. Unfortunately, there are … Continue reading Gene therapy and blood stem cells cure sickle cell disease patients
Media shine a spotlight on dodgy stem cell clinics
A doctor collects fat from a patient's back as part of an experimental stem cell procedure in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Dec. 5, 2014. (Raquel Maria Dillon / Associated Press) For several years now, we have been trying to raise awareness about the risks posed by clinics offering unproven or unapproved stem cell therapies. At … Continue reading Media shine a spotlight on dodgy stem cell clinics
Targeted treatment for pediatric brain tumors shows promising results
Image of medulloblastoma Imagine sitting in the doctor's office and being told the heartbreaking news that your child has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. As one might expect, the doctor states that the most effective treatment option is typically a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. However, the doctor reveals that there are additional … Continue reading Targeted treatment for pediatric brain tumors shows promising results
CIRM-supported Type I Diabetes treatment enters clinical trials in Europe
ViaCyte, a company that CIRM has supported for many years, has announced international expansion of a clinical trial to test their therapeutic PEC-Direct product in patients with Type I Diabetes. The first European patient in Brussels was implanted with the PEC-Direct product candidate that, in animal models, is able to form functional beta cells. Patients … Continue reading CIRM-supported Type I Diabetes treatment enters clinical trials in Europe
A Bridge to the future for stem cell students
One of the programs people here at CIRM love is our Bridges to Stem Cell Research Awards. These are given to undergraduate and master's level college students, to train the next generation of stem cell scientists. How good a program is it? It's terrific. You don't have to take my word for it. Just read … Continue reading A Bridge to the future for stem cell students
Rare disease gets go-ahead to run clinical trial
Cystinosis is one of those diseases most people have never heard of and should be very grateful they haven't. It's rare - affecting only around 500 children and young adults in the US and just 2,000 people worldwide - but it's nasty. Up to now the treatments for it have been very limited. But a … Continue reading Rare disease gets go-ahead to run clinical trial
Using 3D printer to develop treatment for spinal cord injury
Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) affect approximately 300,000 Americans, with about 18,000 new cases occurring per year. One of these patients, Jake Javier, who we have written about many times over the past several years, received ten million stem cells as part of a CIRM-funded clinical trial and a video about his first year at Cal … Continue reading Using 3D printer to develop treatment for spinal cord injury
Frustration, failure and finally hope in the search for treatments for spina bifida
By any standards Dr. Diana Farmer is a determined woman who doesn’t let setbacks and failure deter her. As a fetal and neonatal surgeon, and the chair of the Department of Surgery at UC Davis Health, Dr. Farmer has spent years trying to develop a cure for spina bifida. She’s getting closer. Dr. Farmer and … Continue reading Frustration, failure and finally hope in the search for treatments for spina bifida
Stem Cells make the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic is one of those iconic magazines that everyone knows about but few people read. Which is a shame, because it's been around since 1888 and has helped make generations of readers aware about the world around them. And now, it's shifting gears and helping people know more about the world inside them. That's … Continue reading Stem Cells make the cover of National Geographic
The Stem Cellar 