Starving stem cells of oxygen can help build stronger bones

We usually think that starving something of oxygen is going to make it weaker and maybe even kill it. But a new study by J. Kent Leach at UC Davis shows that instead of weakening bone defects, depriving them of oxygen might help boost their ability to create new bone or repair existing bone. Leach … Continue reading Starving stem cells of oxygen can help build stronger bones

A Cowboys Fan’s Take on The Catch and Dwight Clark’s Passing Due to ALS

I grew up in Dallas in the 80’s. Needless to say, I was a diehard fan of the Dallas Cowboys National Football League (NFL) team and January 10, 1982 will forever be seared into my memory. Late in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys were leading the San Francisco 49ers 27-21 in the conference championship with … Continue reading A Cowboys Fan’s Take on The Catch and Dwight Clark’s Passing Due to ALS

Can stem cells help people recover from a stroke? Join us for a Facebook Live event this Thursday, May 31 for the answers

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the US and the leading cause of serious, long-term disability. But could stem cell therapies change that and help people who’ve had a brain attack?  Could stem cells help repair the damage caused by a stroke and restore a person’s ability to speak normally, to … Continue reading Can stem cells help people recover from a stroke? Join us for a Facebook Live event this Thursday, May 31 for the answers

‘Ask The Expert’ on Facebook Live about the power of stem cells to reverse damage caused by a stroke.

It’s not often you get a chance to ask a world class stem cell expert a question about their work, and how it might help you or someone you love. But on Thursday, May 31 you can do just that. CIRM is hosting a special ‘Ask the Expert’ event on Facebook Live. The topic is … Continue reading ‘Ask The Expert’ on Facebook Live about the power of stem cells to reverse damage caused by a stroke.

Cold temps nudge stem cells to boost “good” fat, may point to obesity remedies

Newborn babies may not be able to walk or talk but they can do something that makes adults very jealous: burn extra calories without exercising. This feat is accomplished with the help of brown fat which is abundant in infants (and hibernating animals) but barely detectable in adults. However, a new study in Scientific Reports … Continue reading Cold temps nudge stem cells to boost “good” fat, may point to obesity remedies

Inspiring Video: UC Irvine Stem Cell Trial Gives Orange County Woman Hope in Her Fight Against ALS

Last week, we lost one of our greatest, most influential scientific minds. Stephen Hawking, a famous British theoretical physicist and author of “A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes”, passed away at the age of 76. Hawking lived most of his adult life in a wheelchair because he suffered from … Continue reading Inspiring Video: UC Irvine Stem Cell Trial Gives Orange County Woman Hope in Her Fight Against ALS

Stories that caught our eye: How dying cells could help save lives; could modified blood stem cells reverse diabetes?; and FDA has good news for patients, bad news for rogue clinics

Growing up I loved watching old cowboy movies. Invariably the hero, even though mortally wounded, would manage to save the day and rescue the heroine and/or the town. Now it seems some stem cells perform the same function, dying in order to save the lives of others. Researchers at Kings College in London were trying … Continue reading Stories that caught our eye: How dying cells could help save lives; could modified blood stem cells reverse diabetes?; and FDA has good news for patients, bad news for rogue clinics

Using stem cells to take an inside approach to fixing damaged livers

Often on the Stem Cellar we write about work that is in a clinical trial. But getting research to that stage takes years and years of dedicated work. Over the next few months we are going to profile some of the scientists we fund who are doing Discovery, or early stage research, to highlight the … Continue reading Using stem cells to take an inside approach to fixing damaged livers

Clever technique uncovers role of stem cells in cartilage repair

Over 50 million adults in the U.S. are estimated to be affected by some form of arthritis, a very painful, debilitating condition in which the cartilage that provides cushioning within bone joints gradually degrades. Health care costs of treating arthritis in California alone has been estimated at over $12 billion and that figure is already … Continue reading Clever technique uncovers role of stem cells in cartilage repair

CIRM stories that caught our eye: UCSD team stops neuromuscular disease in mice, ALS trial enrolls 1st patients and Q&A with CIRM Prez

Ordinarily, we end each week at the Stem Cellar with a few stem cell stories that caught our eye. But, for the past couple of weeks we've been busy churning out stories related to our Month of CIRM blog series, which we hope you've found enlightening. To round out the series, we present this "caught … Continue reading CIRM stories that caught our eye: UCSD team stops neuromuscular disease in mice, ALS trial enrolls 1st patients and Q&A with CIRM Prez