Sixteen years ago the first edition of The Global Burden of Disease was released in hard cover. I remember lugging the 1,022 page edition, complete with tables of data, around campus as a masters of public health student at UC Berkeley. Professor Kirk Smith made us use the tables to calculate how disease patterns vary … Continue reading CIRM Research in a Global Perspective

Alan Trounson, CIRM PresidentEach month CIRM President Alan Trounson gives his perspective on recently published papers he thinks will be valuable in moving the field of stem cell research forward. This month’s report, along with an archive of past reports, is available on the CIRM website.The full report this month includes a couple important advances … Continue reading Guest blogger Alan Trounson — November’s stem cell research highlights

After three days of being with a few hundred like-minded and energized folks at the World Stem Cell Summit in Florida, I was able to hop up the coast to D.C. for the annual meeting of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medicine, an event that I can usually only catch a piece of by … Continue reading Coalition helps keep our embryonic stem cell work legal

Jonathan Thomas is chair of CIRM's governing board, the Independent Citizens' Oversight CommitteeFrom the very beginning in 2004, when voters approved Proposition 71, creating the stem cell agency and providing us with the money to help fund research, CIRM has been a unique organization. No other state agency was ever created in this way. As … Continue reading Jonathan Thomas discussion IOM report on CIRM: "Bold social innovation"

Jonathan Thomas is chair of CIRM's governing board, the Independent Citizens' Oversight CommitteeFrom the very beginning in 2004, when voters approved Proposition 71, creating the stem cell agency and providing us with the money to help fund research, CIRM has been a unique organization. No other state agency was ever created in this way. As … Continue reading Jonathan Thomas discussion IOM report on CIRM: “Bold social innovation”

Posts from my colleagues who were at the World Stem Cell Summit this week reminded me about the short video interviews we did last year with patient advocates. One of the best parts of this meeting is always seeing the scientists mix with the patient advocates and meet the people who really stand to benefit … Continue reading Short takes from patient advocates at the World Stem Cell Summit #wscs12

Sabrina Cohen at the World Stem Cell Summit with Chris Makos, who is an advisor to the Sabrina Cohen FoundationLast night the World Stem Cell Summit honored Sabrina Cohen with its Inspiration award for her remarkable work in raising awareness about stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine. Sabrina suffered a severe spinal cord injury in … Continue reading Sabrina Cohen honored for providing inspiration and raising awareness #wscs12

At last night's World Stem Cell Summit awards dinner, one of the award recipients was 60 Minutes for their two-part “21st Century Snake Oil” investigation. According to the award website:CBS News’ “60 Minutes” has provided an invaluable contribution to public awareness exposing risks and rip-offs foisted upon vulnerable patients and their families. The two-part “21st … Continue reading Stem cell action awards gives nod to scientists fighting unregulated stem cell clinics #wscs12

Paul Knoepfler, a CIRM grantee at UC Davis, blogger and stem cell advocate talks about the role advocates can play in promoting stem cell researchThere was a fascinating afternoon session at the World Stem Cell Summit on the power and role of the patient advocate in advancing stem cell research and particularly in overcoming the … Continue reading "If they feel the heat, they see the light": the role of the stem cell advocate #wscs12

Paul Knoepfler, a CIRM grantee at UC Davis, blogger and stem cell advocate talks about the role advocates can play in promoting stem cell researchThere was a fascinating afternoon session at the World Stem Cell Summit on the power and role of the patient advocate in advancing stem cell research and particularly in overcoming the … Continue reading “If they feel the heat, they see the light”: the role of the stem cell advocate #wscs12