Dr. Tariq Rana (left) and Dr. Jeremy Rich (right) both lead independent teams at UC San Diego that identified a molecule, αvβ5 integrin, as the Zika virus' key to getting into brain stem cells Zika virus is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. People usually develop mild symptoms that include fever, rash, and … Continue reading Two studies identify a molecule that could be used to block Zika virus and kill cancer cells
Cancer Stem Cells
Facebook Live: Ask the Stem Cell Team
On December 12th we hosted our latest 'Facebook Live: Ask the Stem Cell Team' event. This time around we really did mean team. We had a host of our Science Officers answering questions from friends and supporters of CIRM. We got a lot of questions and didn't have enough time to address them all. So … Continue reading Facebook Live: Ask the Stem Cell Team
How early CIRM support helped an anti-cancer therapy overcome obstacles and help patients
Dr. Catriona Jamieson, UC San Diego When you read about a new drug or therapy being approved to help patients it always seems so simple. Researchers come up with a brilliant idea, test it to make sure it is safe and works, and then get approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to … Continue reading How early CIRM support helped an anti-cancer therapy overcome obstacles and help patients
CIRM funded research could lead to treatment to prevent recurrence of deadly blood cancer
Chronic myelogenous leukemia Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a cancer of the white blood cells. It causes them to increase in number, crowd out other blood cells, leading to anemia, infection or heavy bleeding. Up until the early 2000’s the main weapon against CML was chemotherapy, but the introduction of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors … Continue reading CIRM funded research could lead to treatment to prevent recurrence of deadly blood cancer
Drug used to treat multiple sclerosis may improve glioblastoma outcomes
Dr. Jeremy Rich, UC San Diego Glioblastoma is an aggressive form of cancer that invades brain tissue, making it extremely difficult to treat. Current therapies involving radiation and chemotherapy are effective in destroying the bulk of brain cancer cells, but they are not able to reach the brain cancer stem cells, which have the ability … Continue reading Drug used to treat multiple sclerosis may improve glioblastoma outcomes
New model unlocks clues to treating deadly childhood cancer
CIRM-funded research at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in San Diego is identifying compounds that could be used to help children battling a deadly brain cancer. The cancer is choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC), a rare brain tumor that occurs mainly in children. As it grows the tumor can affect nearby parts of the brain … Continue reading New model unlocks clues to treating deadly childhood cancer
Newly developed biosensor can target leukemic stem cells
Dr. Michael Milyavsky (left) and his research student Muhammad Yassin (right). Image courtesy of Tel Aviv University. Every three minutes, one person in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer, which amounts to over 175,000 people every year. Every nine minutes, one person in the United States dies from a blood cancer, which … Continue reading Newly developed biosensor can target leukemic stem cells
Stories that caught our eye: National Geographic takes a deep dive into iPS cells; Japanese researchers start iPS cell clinical trial for spinal cord injury; and do high fat diets increase your risk of colorectal cancer
Can cell therapy beat the most difficult diseases? That’s the question posed in a headline in National Geographic. The answer; maybe, but it is going to take time and money. The article focuses on the use of iPS cells, the man-made equivalent of embryonic stem cells that can be turned into any kind of cell … Continue reading Stories that caught our eye: National Geographic takes a deep dive into iPS cells; Japanese researchers start iPS cell clinical trial for spinal cord injury; and do high fat diets increase your risk of colorectal cancer
Tips on how to be a great Patient Advocate from three of the best Advocates around
No one sets out to be a Patient Advocate. It’s something that you become because of something that happens to you. Usually it’s because you, or a loved one or a friend, becomes ill and you want to help find a treatment. Whatever the reason, it is the start of a journey that often throws … Continue reading Tips on how to be a great Patient Advocate from three of the best Advocates around
The most popular Stem Cellar posts of 2018
You never know when you write something if people are going to read it. Sometimes you wonder if anyone is going to read it. So, it’s always fun, and educational, to look back at the end of the year and see which pieces got the most eyeballs. It isn’t always the ones you think will … Continue reading The most popular Stem Cellar posts of 2018
The Stem Cellar 