CIRM has experienced many exciting changes over the past year: we’ve welcomed a new president, revamped our blog and—perhaps most importantly—announced a radical overhaul in how we fund stem cell research with the launch of CIRM 2.0. That’s not even mentioning the 11 projects we are now funding in clinical trials. And now, we’d like … Continue reading CIRM Launches New and Improved Website
Author: cirmweb
I Sing the Bioelectric: Long-Distance Electrical Signals Guide Cell Growth and Repair
Genes turn on, and genes turn off. Again and again, the genes that together comprise the human genome receive electrical signals that can direct when they should be active—and when they should be dormant. This intricate pattern of signals is a part of what guides an embryonic stem cell to grow and mature into any … Continue reading I Sing the Bioelectric: Long-Distance Electrical Signals Guide Cell Growth and Repair
One-Time, Lasting Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease May be on Horizon, According to New CIRM-Funded Study
For the nearly 1,000 babies born each year in the United States with sickle cell disease, a painful and arduous road awaits them. The only cure is to find a bone marrow donor—an exceedingly rare proposition. Instead, the standard treatment for this inherited blood disorder is regular blood transfusions, with repeated hospitalizations to deal with … Continue reading One-Time, Lasting Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease May be on Horizon, According to New CIRM-Funded Study
Stay on Target: Scientists Create Chemical ‘Homing Devices’ that Guide Stem Cells to Final Destination
When injecting stem cells into a patient, how do the cells know where to go? How do they know to travel to a specific damage site, without getting distracted along the way? Scientists are now discovering that, in some cases they do but in many cases, they don’t. So engineers have found a way to … Continue reading Stay on Target: Scientists Create Chemical ‘Homing Devices’ that Guide Stem Cells to Final Destination
Shape-Shifting Pancreas Cells Set Stage for Development of Deadly Cancer
After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the likely outcome is—in a word—bleak. At a time when cancers can be treated so successfully as to give the patient a good quality of life, pancreatic cancer remains one of the last holdouts. It is the fourth most deadly form of cancer in the United States. One in … Continue reading Shape-Shifting Pancreas Cells Set Stage for Development of Deadly Cancer
Combination Cancer Therapy Gives Cells a Knockout Punch
For some forms of cancer, there really is no way to truly eradicate it. Even the most advanced chemotherapy treatments leave behind some straggler cells that can fuel a relapse. But now, scientists have devised a unique strategy, something they are calling a ‘one-two punch’ that can more effectively wipe out dangerous tumors, and lower … Continue reading Combination Cancer Therapy Gives Cells a Knockout Punch
All Things Being (Un)Equal: Scientists Discover Gene that Breaks Traditional Laws of Inheritance
One of the most fundamental laws of biology is about to be turned on its head, according to new research from scientists at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine. As reported in the journal PLOS Genetics, UNC researchers identified a gene that does not obey traditional laws that determine how genes get … Continue reading All Things Being (Un)Equal: Scientists Discover Gene that Breaks Traditional Laws of Inheritance
MIT Scientists Recreate Malaria in a Dish to Test Promising Drug Candidates
At the beginning, it feels like the flu: aches, pains and vomiting. But then you begin to experience severe cold and shivering, followed by fever and sweating—a cycle, known as tertian fever, that repeats itself every two days. And that’s when you know: you’ve contracted malaria. But you wouldn’t be alone. According to the World … Continue reading MIT Scientists Recreate Malaria in a Dish to Test Promising Drug Candidates
‘STARS’ Help Scientists Control Genetic On/Off Switch
All life on Earth relies, ultimately, on the delicate coordination of switches. During development, these switches turn genes on—or keep them off—at precise intervals, controlling the complex processes that guide the growth of the embryo, cell by cell, as it matures from a collection of stem cells into a living, breathing organism. If you control … Continue reading ‘STARS’ Help Scientists Control Genetic On/Off Switch
January ICOC Board Meeting To Begin Soon
The January ICOC Board Meeting begins this morning in San Francisco, CA. The complete agenda and dial-in instructions can be found here. Stay tuned for updates after the meeting!
The Stem Cellar 