In honor of Huntington’s Disease (HD) Awareness Month, we’re featuring a guest blog by HD patient advocate Daniel Medina. Daniel became actively involved in the HD community when he learned that his younger brother was at risk for inheriting this devastating neurodegenerative disease. Since then he has been a champion for HD awareness by organizing … Continue reading Advocating for Huntington’s Disease: Daniel Medina’s Journey
Author: cirmweb
Scientists Sink their Teeth into Stem Cell Evolution
Sometimes, answers to biology’s most important questions can be found in the most unexpected of places. As reported in the most recent issue of the journal Cell Reports, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the University of Helsinki describe how studying fossilized rodent teeth has helped them inch closer to grasping … Continue reading Scientists Sink their Teeth into Stem Cell Evolution
Brain’s Own Activity Can Fuel Growth of Deadly Brain Tumors, CIRM-Funded Study Finds
Not all brain tumors are created equal—some are far more deadly than others. Among the most deadly is a type of tumor called high-grade glioma or HGG. Most distressingly, HGG’s are the leading cause of brain tumor death in both children and adults. And despite extraordinary progress in cancer research as a whole, survival rates … Continue reading Brain’s Own Activity Can Fuel Growth of Deadly Brain Tumors, CIRM-Funded Study Finds
Molecular Trick Diminishes Appearance of Scars, Stanford Study Finds
Every scar tells a story, but that story may soon be coming to a close, as new research from Stanford University reveals clues to why scars form—and offers clues on how scarring could become a thing of the past. Reported last week in the journal Science, the research team pinpointed the type of skin cell … Continue reading Molecular Trick Diminishes Appearance of Scars, Stanford Study Finds
Gene Therapy Beats Half-Matched Stem Cell Transplant in Side-by-Side Comparison to Treat ‘Bubble Baby’ Disease
If you are born with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), your childhood is anything but normal. You don’t get to play with other kids, or be held by your parents. You can’t even breathe the same air. And, without treatment, you probably won’t live past your first year. This is the reality of SCID, also called … Continue reading Gene Therapy Beats Half-Matched Stem Cell Transplant in Side-by-Side Comparison to Treat ‘Bubble Baby’ Disease
Stem Cell Scientists Reconstruct Disease in a Dish; Gain Insight into Deadly Form of Bone Cancer
The life of someone with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) is not a pleasant one. A rare genetic disorder that usually runs in families, this syndrome is characterized by heightened risk of developing cancer—multiple types of cancer—at a very young age. People with LFS, as the syndrome is often called, are especially susceptible to osteosarcoma, a form … Continue reading Stem Cell Scientists Reconstruct Disease in a Dish; Gain Insight into Deadly Form of Bone Cancer
Cancer Cells Mimic Blood Vessels to Colonize the Body’s Farthest Reaches
Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have just uncovered the latest dirty trick in the cancer playbook—one that spurs the cancer cells to spread throughout the body and evade treatment. But importantly, they believe they may have found a way to counter it. Reporting today in the journal Nature, Cold Spring Harbor researchers describe how … Continue reading Cancer Cells Mimic Blood Vessels to Colonize the Body’s Farthest Reaches
Mutation Morphs Mitochondria in Models of Parkinson’s Disease, CIRM-Funded Study Finds
There is no singular cause of Parkinson’s disease, but many—making this disease so difficult to understand and, as a result, treat. But now, researchers at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging have tracked down precisely how a genetic change, or mutation, can lead to a common form of the disease. The results, published last … Continue reading Mutation Morphs Mitochondria in Models of Parkinson’s Disease, CIRM-Funded Study Finds
Breast Cancer Tumors Recruit Immune Cells to the Dark Side
We rely on our immune system to stave off all classes of disease—but what happens when the very system responsible for keeping us healthy turns to the dark side? In new research published today, scientists uncover new evidence that reveals how breast cancer tumors can actually recruit immune cells to spur the spread of disease. … Continue reading Breast Cancer Tumors Recruit Immune Cells to the Dark Side
March ICOC/Governing Board Meeting Begins Soon
The March ICOC/Governing Board Meeting is beginning this morning at 9am in Berkeley, CA. Agenda details and dial-in instructions can be found on our website. Please watch this space for an update from the meeting. You can also keep up with the latest news by visiting CIRM on Twitter and Facebook.
The Stem Cellar 