NIH collaboration aims to develop affordable gene therapies for sickle cell disease and HIV

Sickle cell disease (SCD) and HIV have a major burden on the health of impoverished communities all over the world. Of the 38 million people living with HIV all over the world, approximately 95% reside within developing countries, with 67% in sub-Saharan Africa, half of whom are living without any treatment. Fifteen million babies will … Continue reading NIH collaboration aims to develop affordable gene therapies for sickle cell disease and HIV

How early CIRM support helped an anti-cancer therapy overcome obstacles and help patients

Dr. Catriona Jamieson, UC San Diego When you read about a new drug or therapy being approved to help patients it always seems so simple. Researchers come up with a brilliant idea, test it to make sure it is safe and works, and then get approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to … Continue reading How early CIRM support helped an anti-cancer therapy overcome obstacles and help patients

A bridge to the future: training the next generation of stem cell scientists

At CIRM we don’t just invest in stem cell research, we invest in people. One prime example of that is our Bridges to Stem Cell Research program. This is helping train the next generation of scientists by preparing Californian undergraduate and master’s students for careers in stem cell research. The students who go through the … Continue reading A bridge to the future: training the next generation of stem cell scientists

USC study shows how tumor cells in the bloodstream can target distant organs

Various types of cancer can become particularly aggressive and difficult to treat once they spread from their initial point of origin to other parts of the body. This unfortunate phenomenon, known as metastasis, can make treatment very challenging, decreasing the chance of survival for the patient. In order to better understand this process, a CIRM … Continue reading USC study shows how tumor cells in the bloodstream can target distant organs

CIRM Team answers your questions about stem cell research

It’s not often you get the chance to ask a group of world class experts any question you like about stem cells and stem cell research, but that’s what we are offering you. We’re going to hold our next Facebook Live “Ask the Stem Cell Team” event focused solely on your questions with answers from … Continue reading CIRM Team answers your questions about stem cell research

UCLA Conducts CAR-T Cell Clinical Trial for Patients with Recurring and Non-Responsive Cancers

Dr. Sarah Larson (left) and Dr. Yvonne Chen (right) There have been many advances made towards the treatment of various cancers, such as deadly forms of leukemia and lymphoma, that were once considered a death sentence and thought to be incurable. Unfortunately, there are still people who do not respond to treatment or eventually relapse … Continue reading UCLA Conducts CAR-T Cell Clinical Trial for Patients with Recurring and Non-Responsive Cancers

CIRM funded research could lead to treatment to prevent recurrence of deadly blood cancer

Chronic myelogenous leukemia Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a cancer of the white blood cells. It causes them to increase in number, crowd out other blood cells, leading to anemia, infection or heavy bleeding. Up until the early 2000’s the main weapon against CML was chemotherapy, but the introduction of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors … Continue reading CIRM funded research could lead to treatment to prevent recurrence of deadly blood cancer

Predicting the Impact of Stem Cell Cures on Healthcare Burden in California

A new independent report says developing stem cell treatments and cures for some of the most common and deadly diseases could produce multi-billion dollar benefits for California in reduced healthcare costs and improved quality and quantity of life. The report, by researchers at the University of Southern California’s Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy … Continue reading Predicting the Impact of Stem Cell Cures on Healthcare Burden in California

Encouraging Progress for Two CIRM Supported Clinical Trials

This past Wednesday was Stem Cell Awareness Day, a day that is meant to remind us all of the importance of stem cell research and the potential it has to treat a wide variety of diseases. On this day, we also released an independent Economic Impact Report that showed how $10.7 Billion (yes, you read … Continue reading Encouraging Progress for Two CIRM Supported Clinical Trials

New Report Says CIRM Produces Big Economic Boost for California

An independent Economic Impact Report says the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has had a major impact on California’s economy, creating tens of thousands of new jobs, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in new taxes, and producing billions of dollars in additional revenue for the state. The report, done by Dan Wei and … Continue reading New Report Says CIRM Produces Big Economic Boost for California