Logan Lacy, a child with AADC Deficiency: Photo courtesy Chambersburg Public Opinion Tomorrow, the last day in February, is Rare Disease Day. It’s a day dedicated to raising awareness about rare diseases and the impact they have on patients and their families. But the truth is rare diseases are not so rare. There are around … Continue reading How developing a treatment for a rare disease could lead to therapies for other, not-so-rare conditions
Month: February 2020
Overcoming obstacles in blood stem cell therapies
Photo Credit: OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Today, we here at CIRM wanted to provide an update on the fascinating world of hematopoietic (blood) stem cell-based therapies. What is the current status of this promising field and what are some of the challenges that need to be overcome? Dr. Kelly Shepard, Associate Director of Discovery and … Continue reading Overcoming obstacles in blood stem cell therapies
How quitting smoking helps your lungs regenerate; a discovery could lead to new ways to repair damaged lungs; and encouraging news in a stroke recovery trial
Photo courtesy Lindsay Fox Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death not just in the US, but worldwide. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tobacco causes an estimated seven million deaths around the world, every single year. And for every person who dies, another 30 live with a … Continue reading How quitting smoking helps your lungs regenerate; a discovery could lead to new ways to repair damaged lungs; and encouraging news in a stroke recovery trial
Breakthrough image could lead to better therapies
Image of a blood stem cell in its natural environment: Photo courtesy UC Merced When it comes to using stem cells for therapy you don’t just need to understand what kinds of cell to use, you also need to understand the environment that is best for them. Trying to get stem cells to grow in … Continue reading Breakthrough image could lead to better therapies
CIRM supported study finds that a gene associated with autism influences brain stem cells
Dr. Bennett Novitch, UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research CenterImage Credit: UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center In a previous blog post, we discussed new findings in a CIRM supported study at the Salk Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a developmental disorder that comes in broad ranges and primarily affects communication and behavior. This week, … Continue reading CIRM supported study finds that a gene associated with autism influences brain stem cells
CIRM funded study links rapid brain growth in autism to DNA damage
Meiyan Wang and Dr. Rusty Gage at the Salk Institute. Image Credit: Salk Institute Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a developmental disorder that comes in broad ranges and primarily affects communication and behavior. Many people with ASD also have macrocephaly, or unusually large heads. Unfortunately, understanding the underlying causes of this disorder and development of … Continue reading CIRM funded study links rapid brain growth in autism to DNA damage
CIRM Board Meeting Highlights Important Updates to Clinical Trials
Dr. Maria T. Millan, President and CEO of CIRM, presenting the President's Report This past Thursday the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) were presented with an update on CIRM’s clinical portfolio, which to date includes 60 clinical trials in various areas including kidney failure, cancer, and other rare diseases. The … Continue reading CIRM Board Meeting Highlights Important Updates to Clinical Trials
Enabling the Best Choice for Patients: The Need for Effective Patient Navigation
Making sure patients get the treatment they need and not a "snake oil" substitute We are at a turning point in regenerative medicine as the first wave of treatments have obtained FDA approval. But at the same time as we see the advance of scientifically rigorous research and regulated products we are also witnessing the … Continue reading Enabling the Best Choice for Patients: The Need for Effective Patient Navigation
‘A Tornado at the Front Door, a Tsunami at the Back Door’
CIRM funds a lot of research and all of it has life-saving potential. But every once in a while you come across a story about someone benefiting from CIRM-supported research that highlights why the work we do is so important. This story is about a brilliant researcher at UC San Diego developing a treatment for … Continue reading ‘A Tornado at the Front Door, a Tsunami at the Back Door’
The Stem Cellar 