Zebrafish One hope of regenerative medicine is that one day we will be able to use stem cells to regrow damaged organs, avoiding the need for a transplant. Learning from other species It’s a fascinating idea, supported in part by the ability of some creatures, such as Axolotls and salamanders, to regrow parts of their … Continue reading How do Zebrafish grow ears? It’s quite transparent
Month: December 2021
UCLA gene therapy for LAD-1
Photo courtesy of Tamara Hogue/UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center Leukocyte adhesion deficiency type 1 (LAD‑1) is a rare pediatric disorder that cripples the immune system. Children experience recurrent, severe bacterial and fungal infections and struggle to heal wounds. The disease results from a missing protein that normally allows white blood cells to leave blood … Continue reading UCLA gene therapy for LAD-1
Stem cell-based implant for cartilage restoration and treating osteoarthritis
The Plurocart’s scaffold membrane is seeded with stem cell-derived chondrocytes. Image courtesy of USC Photo/Denis Evseenko. Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC used a stem cell-based bio-implant to repair cartilage and delay joint degeneration in a large-animal model. Treating osteoarthritis This paves the way to potentially treat humans with cartilage injuries and … Continue reading Stem cell-based implant for cartilage restoration and treating osteoarthritis
Why Diversity in Clinical Trials Matters
Asthma spacer, photo courtesy Wikimedia Common If researchers want to know whether a new therapy works, they need to test it in the people most affected by the disease. That sounds obvious. Yet too often, clinical trials fail to do just that. A recent example highlights the problem. Researchers tested a promising asthma medication called … Continue reading Why Diversity in Clinical Trials Matters
CIRM Charts the Future of Regenerative Medicine
Dr. Maria Millan, CIRM's President & CEO Reaching a destination without a clear plan is hard. That's why the CIRM Board approved a new Strategic Plan that maps the agency's direction for the next five years. The plan builds on the success of Proposition 71, the voter-approved initiative that created CIRM in 2004. Since then, … Continue reading CIRM Charts the Future of Regenerative Medicine
How some brilliant research may have uncovered a potential Alzheimer’s therapy
Dr. Nicole Koutsodendris, photo courtesy Gladstone Institutes In the world of scientific research, the people doing clinical trials tend to suck up all the oxygen in the room. They’re the stars, the ones who are bringing potential therapies to patients. However, another group of researchers toils away in the background and deserves equal praise and … Continue reading How some brilliant research may have uncovered a potential Alzheimer’s therapy
Scientists Create a First-of-Its-Kind Heart and Gut Organoid
Gladstone Senior Investigator Todd McDevitt, PhD said this first-of-its-kind organoid could serve as a new tool for laboratory research and improve our understanding of how developing organs and tissues cooperate and instruct each other.
Producing insulin for people who can’t
ViaCyte's implantable stem cell pouch One of CIRM's greatest strengths is supporting projects throughout the development process. Many promising ideas begin in the laboratory. Few advance to human clinical trials. CIRM helps bridge that gap by supporting research from early discovery through clinical testing. A recent announcement from ViaCyte highlights the value of that approach. … Continue reading Producing insulin for people who can’t