In October 2019, 20-year-old Jordan Janz became the first person in the world to receive an experimental therapy for cystinosis. Cystinosis is a rare genetic disorder characterized by the accumulation of an amino acid called cystine in different tissues and organs of the body including the kidneys, eyes, muscles, liver, pancreas, and brain. This accumulation … Continue reading An experimental gene therapy with a hairy twist
Month: June 2022
Taking to the streets with Pride
Yesterday the CIRM team were honored to be part of the San Francisco Pride Parade. To walk along the route with colleagues and friends, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of cheering people was such a fun way to spend the day, and gave us a chance to introduce ourselves to many people who may not … Continue reading Taking to the streets with Pride
Stem Cell Agency Board Invests in 19 Discovery Research Programs Targeting Cancers, Heart Disease and Other Disorders
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Dr. Judy Shizuru, Stanford University While stem cell and gene therapy research has advanced dramatically in recent years, there are still many unknowns and many questions remaining about how best to use these approaches in developing therapies. That’s why the governing Board of the California Institute … Continue reading Stem Cell Agency Board Invests in 19 Discovery Research Programs Targeting Cancers, Heart Disease and Other Disorders
Can regenerative medicine turn back the clock on aging?
One of my favorite phrases is “standing room only”. I got a chance to use it last week when we held a panel discussion on whether regenerative medicine could turn back the clock on aging. The event was at the annual conference of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) and more than 150 … Continue reading Can regenerative medicine turn back the clock on aging?
Two reasons to remember June 19th
Today marks two significant events for the Black community. June 19th is celebrated as Juneteenth, the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure that the enslaved people there were free. That moment came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law. June 19th is also … Continue reading Two reasons to remember June 19th
Creating a ‘bespoke’ approach to rare diseases
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Up until recently the word “bespoke” meant just one thing to me, a hand-made suit, customized and fitted to you. There’s a street in London, Saville Row, that specializes in these suits. They’re gorgeous. They’re also very expensive and so I thought I’d never have a … Continue reading Creating a ‘bespoke’ approach to rare diseases
Stem cells help researchers map out glaucoma in search for new treatments
Glaucoma is the world’s leading cause of irreversible blindness. There is no cure and current treatments are only able to slow down the progression of the disease. Now research using stem cells to create a genetic blueprint of glaucoma is giving scientist a powerful new tool to combat the disease. Glaucoma occurs when healthy retinal … Continue reading Stem cells help researchers map out glaucoma in search for new treatments
Join us to hear how stem cell and gene therapy are taking on diseases of aging
It is estimated that as many as 90 percent of people in industrialized countries who die every day, die from diseases of aging such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Of those still alive the numbers aren’t much more reassuring. More than 80 percent of people over the age of 65 have a chronic medical … Continue reading Join us to hear how stem cell and gene therapy are taking on diseases of aging
Stem cells explained in different languages
Science is hard. Explaining complex science to non-scientists is SUPER hard. But explaining science to non-native English speakers presents a whole new set of challenges. I would know. I’m a first-generation immigrant whose highly-educated parents arrived in their new home—the United States—a tad too late to become fluent in its native tongue. I’ve also … Continue reading Stem cells explained in different languages
The long road to developing a therapy for epilepsy
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Good science takes time. That’s an important guiding phrase for researchers looking to develop new therapies. But it’s also a frustrating reality for patients who are waiting for something to help them now. That point was driven home last week when the governing board of the … Continue reading The long road to developing a therapy for epilepsy
The Stem Cellar 