An exciting development for spinal cord injury research was published this week in the journal Nature Medicine. Scientists from the University of San Diego School of Medicine transplanted human neural progenitor cells (NPCs) into rhesus monkeys that had spinal cord injuries. These cells, which are capable of turning into other cells in the brain, survived … Continue reading Scientists repair spinal cord injuries in monkeys using human stem cells
Embryonic Stem Cells
A Tribute to Stem Cells on Valentine’s Day
In case you forgot, today is Valentine’s Day. Whether you love, hate, or could care less about this day, you do have one thing in common with our other readers – you’re a fan of stem cells. (If you’re not, then why are you reading this blog??) As a tribute to how awesome and important … Continue reading A Tribute to Stem Cells on Valentine’s Day
In a stem cell first, functioning human kidney structures grown in living animals
One of the ultimate quests in the stem cell field – growing organs to repair diseased or damaged ones – took a significant step forward this week. In a first, researchers at the University of Manchester, in the U.K., showed that human embryonic stem cell-derived kidney tissue forms into functional kidney structures, capable of filtering … Continue reading In a stem cell first, functioning human kidney structures grown in living animals
Stem Cell Roundup: New infertility tools, helping the 3 blind mice hear and cow ESCs
Cool Stem Cell Image of the Week This week’s Cool Stem Cell Image of the Week comes to us from the lab of reproductive biologist Evelyn Telfer at the University of Edinburgh. Telfer and her team successfully grew human eggs cells from immature ovarian tissue. This technology could revolutionize the way doctors approach infertility. For … Continue reading Stem Cell Roundup: New infertility tools, helping the 3 blind mice hear and cow ESCs
CIRM interviews Lorenz Studer: 2017 recipient of the Ogawa-Yamanaka Stem Cell Prize [Video]
For eight long years, researchers who were trying to develop a stem cell-based therapy for Parkinson’s disease – an incurable movement disorder marked by uncontrollable shaking, body stiffness and difficulty walking – found themselves lost in the proverbial wilderness. In initial studies, rodent stem cells were successfully coaxed to specialize into dopamine-producing nerve cells, the … Continue reading CIRM interviews Lorenz Studer: 2017 recipient of the Ogawa-Yamanaka Stem Cell Prize [Video]
Comparing two cellular reprogramming methods from one donor’s cells yields good news for iPSCs
In 2012, a mere six years after his discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), Shinya Yamanaka was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Many Nobel winners aren’t recognized until decades after their initial groundbreaking studies. That goes to show you the importance of Yamanaka’s technique, which can reprogram a person’s cells, for example skin … Continue reading Comparing two cellular reprogramming methods from one donor’s cells yields good news for iPSCs
Stem cell-derived mini-intestines reveal bacteria’s key role in building up a newborn’s gut
The following factoid may induce an identity crisis for some people but it is true that our bodies carry more microbes than human cells. Some studies in 1970’s estimated the ratio at 10:1 though more recent calculations suggest we’re merely half microbe, half human. Because microbes are much smaller than human cells they make up … Continue reading Stem cell-derived mini-intestines reveal bacteria’s key role in building up a newborn’s gut
Streamlining Stem Cell Therapy Development for Impatient Patients
During this third week of the Month of CIRM, we are focusing on CIRM’s Infrastructure programs which are all focused on helping to accelerate stem cell treatments to patients with unmet medical needs. Time is money. It’s a cliché but still very true, especially in running a business. The longer it takes to get things … Continue reading Streamlining Stem Cell Therapy Development for Impatient Patients
Building California’s stem cell research community, from the ground up
For week three of the Month of CIRM, our topic is infrastructure. What is infrastructure? Read on for a big picture overview and then we’ll fill in the details over the course of the week. When CIRM was created in 2001, our goal was to grow the stem cell research field in California. But to … Continue reading Building California’s stem cell research community, from the ground up
Caught our eye: new Americans 4 Cures video, better mini-brains reveal Zika insights and iPSC recipes go head-to-head
How stem cell research gives patients hope (Karen Ring). You can learn about the latest stem cell research for a given disease in seconds with a quick google search. You’ll find countless publications, news releases and blogs detailing the latest advancements that are bringing scientists and clinicians closer to understanding why diseases happen and how … Continue reading Caught our eye: new Americans 4 Cures video, better mini-brains reveal Zika insights and iPSC recipes go head-to-head
The Stem Cellar 