Dr. Kelly A. Frazer, UC San Diego School of Medicine Cystic fibrosis is a disorder that mostly affects the lungs. It is caused by a mutation in a gene called cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). As a result of this mutation, cells that produce mucus (a slimy substance like the one in your nose) … Continue reading CIRM funded study may help explain why some people with cystic fibrosis are less prone to infection
iPS Cells
An off-the-shelf cancer killer
iPS Cell: Photo from the lab of Kathrin Plath at UCLA One of the hottest areas in cancer research right now is the use of CAR-T treatments. These use the patient’s own re-engineered immune system cells to target and kill the tumor. But the thing that makes it so appealing – using the patient’s own … Continue reading An off-the-shelf cancer killer
What to be thankful for this Thanksgiving: scientists hard at work
Biomedical technician Louis Pinedo feeds stem cells their special diet. Photo by Cedars-Sinai. With Thanksgiving and Black Friday approaching in the next couple of days, we wanted to give thanks to all the scientists hard at work during this holiday weekend. Science does not sleep--the groundbreaking research and experiments that are being conducted do not … Continue reading What to be thankful for this Thanksgiving: scientists hard at work
Machine learning used to pattern stem cells – a vital step in organ modeling
Gladstone researchers discovered a method to control the patterns stem cells form in a dish. The work was led by Senior Investigator Todd McDevitt (left) and his team, including (pictured) David Joy and Ashley Libby. When someone thinks of machine learning, the first thing that comes to mind might be the technology used by Netflix … Continue reading Machine learning used to pattern stem cells – a vital step in organ modeling
Rare Disease, Type 1 Diabetes, and Heart Function: Breakthroughs for Three CIRM-Funded Studies
This past week, there has been a lot of mention of CIRM funded studies that really highlight the importance of the work we support and the different disease areas we make an impact on. This includes important research related to rare disease, Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), and heart function. Below is a summary of the … Continue reading Rare Disease, Type 1 Diabetes, and Heart Function: Breakthroughs for Three CIRM-Funded Studies
“Brains” in a dish that can create electrical impulses
Brain organoids in a petri dish: photo courtesy UCSD For several years, researchers have been able to take stem cells and use them to make three dimensional structures called organoids. These are a kind of mini organ that scientists can then use to study what happens in the real thing. For example, creating kidney organoids … Continue reading “Brains” in a dish that can create electrical impulses
CIRM-Funded Researchers Develop Chimeric “Mighty Mouse” Model to Study Alzheimer’s Disease
Dr. Mathew Blurton-Jones, leader of team that developed the chimeric "Mighty Mouse" model at the University of California, Irvine In ancient Greek mythology, a Chimera was a creature that was usually depicted as a lion with an additional goat head and a serpent for a tail. Due to the Chimera's animal hybrid nature, the term … Continue reading CIRM-Funded Researchers Develop Chimeric “Mighty Mouse” Model to Study Alzheimer’s Disease
CIRM funded study identifies potential drug target for deadly heart condition
Joseph Wu is co-senior author of a study that demonstrates how patient-derived heart cells can help scientists better study the heart and screen potential therapies. Photo courtesy of Steve Fisch Heart disease continues to be the number one cause of death in the United States. An estimated 375,000 people have a genetic form of heart … Continue reading CIRM funded study identifies potential drug target for deadly heart condition
Blood-brain barrier chip created with stem cells expands potential for personalized medicine
An Organ-Chip used in the study to create a blood-brain barrier (BBB). The brain is a complex part of the human body that allows for the formation of thoughts and consciousness. In many ways it is the essence of who we are as individuals. Because of its importance, our bodies have developed various layers of … Continue reading Blood-brain barrier chip created with stem cells expands potential for personalized medicine
CIRM-funded study helps unlock some of the genetic secrets behind macular degeneration
Retina affected by age-related macular degeneration Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 60. It affects 10 million Americans. That’s more than cataracts and glaucoma combined. The causes of AMD are not known but are believed to involve a mixture of hereditary and environmental factors. There is no … Continue reading CIRM-funded study helps unlock some of the genetic secrets behind macular degeneration
The Stem Cellar 