“Over the next five to ten years, we want to make Huntington’s disease an increasingly treatable condition.” This bold and inspiring statement was made by Dr. Ray Dorsey at the inaugural HD-CARE symposium for Huntington’s disease (HD) research held at UC Irvine last month. The event brought together scientists, doctors, patients, family members, and caregivers … Continue reading On the Hunt for Huntington’s Disease Treatments in the New Millennium
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Double dose of good news: scientists use drugs to turn skin into heart and brain cells
Today the stem cell field got a double dose of good news. Two CIRM-funded studies from the Gladstone Institutes reported successfully reprogramming human skin into heart cells and brain cells in a dish using different cocktails of small molecule drugs. The work was led by Dr. Sheng Ding, a Senior Investigator at the Gladstone Institutes. … Continue reading Double dose of good news: scientists use drugs to turn skin into heart and brain cells
UCSF study explains how chronic inflammation impairs blood stem cell function
Inflammation is the immune system’s natural protective response to infection and injury. It involves the activation and mobilization of immune cells that can kill off foreign invaders and help repair damaged tissue. At the heart of the inflammatory response are hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). These are blood stem cells found in the bone marrow that … Continue reading UCSF study explains how chronic inflammation impairs blood stem cell function
A visual guide on using stem cells to treat blindness
Some stories are so sweet or powerful or wonderful - or all three - that they just stick in your mind. About 18 months ago Rosalinda and German Barrero came to talk to the CIRM Board about retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a devastating genetic disease that slowly destroys a person’s vision. Contrary to what everyone expected … Continue reading A visual guide on using stem cells to treat blindness
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: fashionable stem cells, eliminating HIV, cellular Trojan horse fights cancer
Here are some stem cell stories that caught our eye this past week. Some are groundbreaking science, others are of personal interest to us, and still others are just fun. Stem cell fashion for a cause. Science and art are not mutually exclusive subjects. I know plenty of scientists who are talented painters or designers. … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: fashionable stem cells, eliminating HIV, cellular Trojan horse fights cancer
New study says stem cells derived from older people may have more problems than we thought.
Ever since 2006 when Japanese researcher Shinya Yamanaka showed that you could take an adult cell, such as those in your skin, and reprogram it to act like an embryonic stem cell, the scientific world has looked at these induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells as a potential game changer. They had the ability to convert … Continue reading New study says stem cells derived from older people may have more problems than we thought.
Two National Parkinson’s Disease Organizations Join Forces
Guest blogger David R. Higgins, PhD, is a Parkinson’s Patient Advocate and a CIRM ICOC board member. Two national Parkinson’s organizations have decided to join forces: The Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) will be integrated into The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF). Both have served the Parkinson’s community in separate and important ways, but as MJFF CEO … Continue reading Two National Parkinson’s Disease Organizations Join Forces
How do you know what patients want if you never even ask them?
Our mission at CIRM is to accelerate stem treatments to patients with unmet medical needs. But what if those needs are not just unmet, they’re also unknown? What happens when those developing treatments never even bother to ask those they are trying to help if this is what they really need, or want? The question … Continue reading How do you know what patients want if you never even ask them?
How to handle CRISPR: Formulating a responsible approach to gene-editing
In February 2016, CIRM sponsored a workshop to discuss the impact of CRISPR, a gene-editing tool that is transforming stem cell research. The workshop was designed to enable the Standards Working Group (SWG) to reflect on policies governing the review and oversight of embryo research support by CIRM. After the workshop, we wrote a blog … Continue reading How to handle CRISPR: Formulating a responsible approach to gene-editing
In the Race to Cure Blindness, Who Will Cross the Finish Line First Optogenetics or Stem Cells?
Before you read this blog, I wanted to share a photo that I took (yes with my iPhone 6…) last week of a beautiful sunset at Ocean Beach in San Francisco. I’m showing you this picture not to gloat that I live by the ocean, but to make a point. You’re able to enjoy this … Continue reading In the Race to Cure Blindness, Who Will Cross the Finish Line First Optogenetics or Stem Cells?
The Stem Cellar 