Image Credit: Canva Stock Photo Neurona Therapeutics has reached a major milestone in the development of its stem cell approach to treating epilepsy. The company recently announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating NRTX-1001, a cell therapy for adults whose epilepsy affects both sides of the brain … Continue reading Neurona Doses First Patient in CIRM-Funded Bilateral Epilepsy Cell Therapy Trial
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20 Years of CIRM: The evolution of a CIRM-funded therapy for macular degeneration
Image Credit: University of Southern California (USC) Eye Institute In celebration of CIRM’s 20th anniversary, we are reflecting on some of the early projects we supported that have since advanced to clinical trials. One such trial for a form of blindness originated with a 2007 SEED grant to David Hinton, MD, of the University of … Continue reading 20 Years of CIRM: The evolution of a CIRM-funded therapy for macular degeneration
Diving into a new era of treatment: A patient’s journey with an epilepsy stem cell therapy
Justin Graves diving by the Grand Cayman Islands In 2007, Justin Graves was working at a SCUBA shop in Louisville, Kentucky, when he had his first epileptic seizure. "SCUBA diving has just been something I've loved my whole life," he said. "My whole family loves it." Justin had to give up diving as well as … Continue reading Diving into a new era of treatment: A patient’s journey with an epilepsy stem cell therapy
Gene Therapy Brings Hope to Families Affected by Rare Immune Disorder
Photo Courtesy of Andrea Fernandez de Soto Imagine a life where every time you step outside, everything in your environment poses a life-threatening risk. For children born with ADA-SCID (adenosine deaminase severe combined immunodeficiency), this is a reality. Their immune systems are so compromised that a common cold or a simple scrape on the knee … Continue reading Gene Therapy Brings Hope to Families Affected by Rare Immune Disorder
Stem Cell Awareness: What are stem cells and why research is important
Have you heard of stem cells but don't know what they are or why they are essential in medical research? In celebration of Stem Cell Awareness Day, the second Wednesday in October that is dedicated to educating about the importance of stem cells, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is providing this guide on … Continue reading Stem Cell Awareness: What are stem cells and why research is important
CIRM awards $8 million to Support Groundbreaking Gene Therapy for AML and MDS
Image source: Canva Around 20,000 Americans are affected by acute myeloid leukemia (AML) each year. AML is a type of cancer that originates in the bone marrow and rapidly enters the bloodstream. Additionally, many individuals are impacted by myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), which are blood disorders that result in the improper formation or functioning of blood … Continue reading CIRM awards $8 million to Support Groundbreaking Gene Therapy for AML and MDS
Where Are They Now: Jake Javier
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) in partnership with the University of Southern California (USC) recently hosted the 2024 CIRM Trainee Network Conference, which provided trainees from CIRM’s education and training programs an opportunity to engage with patient advocates and other professionals in the field. On the first day, Jake Javier took the stage … Continue reading Where Are They Now: Jake Javier
Tackling sickle cell disease from within
Photo Credit: Jaquell Chandler Evie Junior was born with sickle cell disease, a life-threatening condition that affects around 100,000 Americans, most of them Black and Latino. People with sickle cell disease have blood cells that are shaped like a hook (or sickle) rather than smooth and round, which can create clogs, causing intense pain, organ … Continue reading Tackling sickle cell disease from within
CIRM invests $1.5 million to UCLA for research identifying risk factors for viral infections
Image of Michael Wells, PhD from UCLA The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) recently awarded $1.5 million to a new research project led by Michael Wells, PhD, of UCLA, that aims to identify the genetic and molecular risk factors underlying disease-causing viral infections in multiple diverse ancestral populations. Dr. Wells and his team of … Continue reading CIRM invests $1.5 million to UCLA for research identifying risk factors for viral infections
CIRM Joins #GoGold Childhood Cancer Awareness Campaign
Photo courtesy of Stanford Medicine September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is joining the campaign to #GoGold to raise awareness about childhood cancers and highlight our commitment to funding childhood cancer research. The Impact of Childhood Cancer Cancer remains the number one cause of death by disease for … Continue reading CIRM Joins #GoGold Childhood Cancer Awareness Campaign