CIRM awarded $4,048,253 to Dr. Joseph Anderson and his UC Davis team to develop a blood stem cell gene therapy that could help people seeking treatment for Tay‑Sachs disease. Tay-Sachs disease is a rare genetic disorder caused by a deficiency in the Hex A enzyme. Without Hex A, certain fats accumulate in brain and nerve … Continue reading Finding a treatment for Tay Sachs disease
Month: December 2022
CIRM funds clinical trial for safer cancer therapy
Blood stem cell transplant after high‑dose chemotherapy is standard care and can be curative for aggressive lymphoma. However, this approach often causes severe toxicity and life‑threatening complications due to delayed blood system recovery and vascular damage. Today, the CIRM Board funded a Phase 3 clinical trial to advance a safer, more tolerable alternative. CIRM Funding … Continue reading CIRM funds clinical trial for safer cancer therapy
In Memory of Kevin McCormack
CIRM lost its voice this weekend. Sunday evening, our beloved Director of Patient Advocacy and frequent face and voice of the Institute, Kevin McCormack, passed away unexpectedly, leaving an unfillable void in our hearts. Chronicler in chief As CIRM’s chief storyteller, Kevin captured milestones and celebrated patients with grace, style, and humor. His wit and … Continue reading In Memory of Kevin McCormack
Three women with ties to CIRM featured in 2022 Women in Biopharma list
Endpoints News released its 2022 Women in Biopharma list, which recognizes 20 of the top women leading biopharma research and development (R&D). This year, the publication received more than 500 entries and selected 20 women “who have blazed trails and are still promising to reshape biopharma R&D for years to come.” Many amazing finalists are … Continue reading Three women with ties to CIRM featured in 2022 Women in Biopharma list
Update on spinal cord injury patient enrolled in CIRM-funded stem cell clinical trial
Jake Javier and his parents at Duke University A spinal cord injury is devastating and can change a life instantly. Each year, 250,000 to 500,000 people worldwide sustain an SCI. Most injuries result from trauma to the spinal column. Those injuries disrupt the spinal cord’s ability to send and receive signals between the brain and … Continue reading Update on spinal cord injury patient enrolled in CIRM-funded stem cell clinical trial
Lab-made retinas offer a new approach to battling vision loss
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly. New research using 3D organoid models of the eye has uncovered clues about what happens in AMD and how to stop it. In AMD, a person loses their central vision because the light-sensitive cells in the macula, a part of the … Continue reading Lab-made retinas offer a new approach to battling vision loss
Bubble baby treatment cleared to restart clinical trial
Evie Vaccaro: Photo courtesy Nancy Ramos Three families battling a life-threatening immune disorder got some great news last week. A clinical trial that could save the life of their child has once again been given the go-ahead by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Evie Vaccaro's Story The clinical trial is the work of … Continue reading Bubble baby treatment cleared to restart clinical trial
High school SPARK intern presents stem cell research
Earlier this year, CIRM welcomed many energetic, enthusiastic high school students to the 2022 SPARK Program annual conference in Oakland. The SPARK program is one of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s (CIRM) many programs dedicated to building a diverse and highly skilled workforce to support the growing regenerative medicine economy right here in California. … Continue reading High school SPARK intern presents stem cell research
Tratando malformaciones congénitas antes del nacimiento
El bebé, Tobi recibió un tratamiento de células madre, financiado por el CIRM, mientras aún estaba en el útero. To read this blog in English, click here. Michelle y Jeff se llenaron de felicidad al enterarse de que iban a tener un bebé. Luego, un examen de ultrasonido a las 20 semanas de embarazo reveló … Continue reading Tratando malformaciones congénitas antes del nacimiento