A recent study estimated there may be more than 500 million people worldwide who have diabetes. That’s an astounding figure and makes diabetes one of the largest chronic disease epidemics in human history. One of the most serious consequences of untreated or uncontrolled diabetes is kidney damage. That can lead to fatigue, weakness, confusion, kidney … Continue reading CIRM Board targets diabetes and kidney disease with big stem cell research awards
Embryonic Stem Cells
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: herding stem cells, mini autistic brains, tendon repair and hair replacement
Here are some stem cell stories that caught our eye this past week. Some are groundbreaking science, others are of personal interest to us, and still others are just fun. Major advance in getting stem cells to behave. The promise of embryonic stem cells comes from their ability to become any cell type in the … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: herding stem cells, mini autistic brains, tendon repair and hair replacement
The Spanish Inquisition and a tale of two stem cell agencies
Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition sketch: Photo courtesy Daily Mail UK It’s not often an article on stem cell research brings the old, but still much loved, British comedy series Monty Python into the discussion but a new study in the journal Cell Stem Cell does just that, comparing the impact of CIRM and the UK’s … Continue reading The Spanish Inquisition and a tale of two stem cell agencies
Spotlight on CIRM Grantee Joe Wu: Clinical Trials for Heart Disease in a Dish?
It’s always exciting to read a science article featuring a talented scientist who is breaking boundaries in the field of regenerative medicine. It’s especially exciting to us at CIRM when the scientist is a CIRM grantee. Last week, OZY published a fun and inspiring piece on Stanford scientist Joe Wu. Dr. Wu is the Director … Continue reading Spotlight on CIRM Grantee Joe Wu: Clinical Trials for Heart Disease in a Dish?
Filling the Holes in our Understanding of Stem Cell Fate
How does a single-celled human embryo transform into a human body with intricate organ systems containing trillions of specialized cells? Step into any college lecture discussing this question and I bet “transcription factors” is a phrase you’ll often hear. Transcription factors are DNA-binding proteins that act as cell fate control switches during development. For cells … Continue reading Filling the Holes in our Understanding of Stem Cell Fate
Knowledge is on the menu at Dinner with a Scientist:
Helen Budworth, Ph.D., is one of the Science Officers at CIRM. She wrote this blog about her experiences talking to some budding local scientists who just happen to be ten years old. Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) “Dinner with a Scientist” event held at the Oakland Zoo. … Continue reading Knowledge is on the menu at Dinner with a Scientist:
More Good News From CIRM-Funded Spinal Cord Injury Trial
It’s been less than a year since we last reported on the CIRM-funded Asterias Biotherapeutics trial for spinal cord injury (SCI), and we already have more – still preliminary – but good news to share. The company recently released encouraging long-term follow-up results from their original Phase 1 clinical trial that suggest their stem cell … Continue reading More Good News From CIRM-Funded Spinal Cord Injury Trial
Approach that inspires DREADD could create new way to treat Parkinson’s disease
Dopamine producing brain nerve cells, made from embryonic stem cells Imagine having a treatment for Parkinson’s that acts like a light switch, enabling you to turn it on or off depending on your needs. Well, that’s what researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have come up with. And if it works, it might help change … Continue reading Approach that inspires DREADD could create new way to treat Parkinson’s disease
UCSD scientists find new clue into how Zika virus impairs brain development
In April of this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced their conclusion that Zika virus causes microcephaly, a birth defect that results in abnormal brain development and a smaller sized head in infants. Rather than a single study being responsible for their conclusion, the CDC argued that “mounting evidence” from multiple … Continue reading UCSD scientists find new clue into how Zika virus impairs brain development
Patient Advocates find their voice in a different language
Packed house for stem cell conference in Tokyo - Adrienne Shapiro front row, second from right One of the many wonderful things about travel is that it opens up your eyes and mind to the fact that, while there are many ways in which people around the world differ from each other, there are also … Continue reading Patient Advocates find their voice in a different language
The Stem Cellar 