The COVID pandemic put a lot of things on hold over the last two years. But thanks to the vaccine and boosters more and more people are feeling comfortable about getting out and about again. Case in point, the Orange County Marathon was held for the first time in two years on Sunday, May 1st. … Continue reading Marathon effort to raise awareness about Huntington’s disease
Adult Stem Cells
Replacement brain cells offer hope for Parkinson’s treatment
A colony of iPSCs from a Parkinson's patient (left) and dopaminergic neurons made from these iPSCs (right) to model PD. (Image credit: Jeanne Loring) A new study that used adult blood stem cells to create replacement brain nerve cells appears to help rats with Parkinson’s. In Parkinson’s, the disease attacks brain nerve cells that produce … Continue reading Replacement brain cells offer hope for Parkinson’s treatment
How two women are fighting back against Lou Gehrig’s disease
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Mary Ann Wittenberg (left) and Nadia Sethi Lou Gehrig's disease, or ALS, is a nasty degenerative condition that destroys the brain cells controlling movement. People with ALS suffer a progressive loss of ability to walk, talk, eat and breathe. The average life expectancy for someone diagnosed … Continue reading How two women are fighting back against Lou Gehrig’s disease
Turning back the clock to make old skin cells young again
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Dr. Diljeet Gill, photo courtesy Babraham Institute, Cambridge UK Sometimes when I am giving public presentations people ask if stem cells are good for the face. I always say that if stem cells could help improve people’s faces would I look like this. It’s a line … Continue reading Turning back the clock to make old skin cells young again
COVID is a real pain in the ear
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST The more you learn about COVID-19 the more there is to dislike about it. The global death toll from the virus is now more than five million and for those who survive there can be long-term health consequences. We know COVID can attack the lungs, heart … Continue reading COVID is a real pain in the ear
A step forward in finding a treatment for a deadly neurological disorder
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST MRI section of a brain affected by ALS with the front section of the brain highlighted Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a nasty disease that steadily attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It’s pretty much always fatal … Continue reading A step forward in finding a treatment for a deadly neurological disorder
Getting under the skin of people with type 1 diabetes – but in a good way
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIOCAST As someone with a family history of type 1 diabetes (T1D) I know how devastating the condition can be. I also know how challenging it can be to keep it under control and the consequences of failing to do that. Not maintaining healthy blood sugar levels can … Continue reading Getting under the skin of people with type 1 diabetes – but in a good way
Them bones them bones them dry bones – and how to help repair them
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIOCAST ON SPOTIFY Broken bones People say that with age comes wisdom, kindness and confidence. What they usually don’t say is that it also comes with aches and pains and problems we didn’t have when we were younger. For example, as we get older our bones get thinner … Continue reading Them bones them bones them dry bones – and how to help repair them
Creating a better way to treat type 1 diabetes
LISTEN TO THIS BLOG AS AN AUDIOCAST ON SPOTIFY The cell encapsulation device (right) that is being developed by Encellin, a San Francisco–based biotechnology company. Photo courtesy of Encellin Type 1 diabetes (t1d) affects every aspect of a person’s life, from what they eat and when they eat, to when they exercise and how they feel … Continue reading Creating a better way to treat type 1 diabetes
Learning life lessons in the lab
Rohan Upadhyay, CIRM SPARK student 2021 One of the most amazing parts of an amazing job is getting to know the students who take part in CIRM’s SPARK (Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative Medicine Knowledge) program. It’s an internship giving high school students, that reflect the diversity of California, a chance to work in a … Continue reading Learning life lessons in the lab
The Stem Cellar 