Federal Trade Commission Stem cells have a number of amazing properties and tremendous potential to heal previously untreatable conditions. But they also have the potential to create a financial windfall for clinics that are more focused on lining their wallets than helping patients. Now the federal government is cracking down on some of these clinics … Continue reading Feds hit predatory stem cell clinics with a one-two punch
Blood stem cells
Celebrating a young life that almost wasn’t
Often on the Stem Cellar we feature CIRM-funded work that is helping advance the field, unlocking some of the secrets of stem cells and how best to use them to develop promising therapies. But every once in a while it’s good to remind ourselves that this work, while it may often seem slow, is already … Continue reading Celebrating a young life that almost wasn’t
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
Board Funds Fifteen Bridges to Stem Cell Research and Therapy Programs Across California and New Sickle Cell Disease Trial
Yesterday the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) awarded $8.39 million to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) to fund a clinical trial for sickle cell disease (SCD). An additional $51.08 million was awarded to fifteen community colleges and universities across California to fund undergraduate and master’s level programs that … Continue reading Board Funds Fifteen Bridges to Stem Cell Research and Therapy Programs Across California and New Sickle Cell Disease Trial
An Open Letter to CIRM for World Sickle Cell Day
Nancy M. Rene Dear CIRM, World Sickle Cell Day is this Saturday June 19th. The goal of this day is to increase knowledge of the disease and understanding of the challenges faced. It is a day that I greet with very mixed feelings. I’m of course extremely grateful to CIRM for the time and money … Continue reading An Open Letter to CIRM for World Sickle Cell Day
CIRM-catalyzed spinout files for IPO to develop therapies for genetic diseases
Graphite Bio, a CIRM-catalyzed spinout from Stanford University that launched just 14 months ago has now filed the official SEC paperwork for an initial public offering (IPO). The company was formed by CIRM-funded researchers Matt Porteus, M.D., Ph.D. and Maria Grazia Roncarolo, M.D. Six years ago, Dr. Porteus and Dr. Roncarolo, in conjunction with Stanford … Continue reading CIRM-catalyzed spinout files for IPO to develop therapies for genetic diseases
CIRM funded trial may pave way for gene therapy to treat different diseases
Image Description: Jordan Janz (left) and Dr. Stephanie Cherqui (right) According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), a disease is consider rare if it affects fewer than 200,000 people. If you combine the over 7,000 known rare diseases, about 30 million people in the U.S. are affected by one of these conditions. A … Continue reading CIRM funded trial may pave way for gene therapy to treat different diseases
Paving the Way
When someone scores a goal in soccer all the attention is lavished on them. Fans chant their name, their teammates pile on top in celebration, their agent starts calling sponsors asking for more money. But there’s often someone else deserving of praise too, that’s the player who provided the assist to make the goal possible … Continue reading Paving the Way
Medeor Therapeutics Completes Enrollment in CIRM-Funded Clinical Trial for Kidney Transplant Patients
A CIRM-funded clinical trial to help kidney transplant patients avoid the need for anti-rejection or immunosuppressive medications has completed enrollment and transplantation of all patients. Medeor Therapeutics’ MDR-101 Phase 3 multi-center clinical trial involved 30 patients; 20 of them were treated with MDR-101, and 10 control subjects were given standard care. CIRM awarded Medeor, based … Continue reading Medeor Therapeutics Completes Enrollment in CIRM-Funded Clinical Trial for Kidney Transplant Patients
New Study Shows CIRM-Supported Therapy Cures More than 95% of Children Born with a Fatal Immune Disorder
Dr. Donald B. Kohn; Photo courtesy UCLA A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that an experimental form of stem cell and gene therapy has cured 48 of 50 children born with a deadly condition called ADA-SCID. Children with ADA-SCID, (severe combined immunodeficiency due to adenosine deaminase deficiency) lack a key … Continue reading New Study Shows CIRM-Supported Therapy Cures More than 95% of Children Born with a Fatal Immune Disorder
The Stem Cellar 