Now that Asterias Biotherapeutics’ CIRM-funded, stem cell-based clinical trial for spinal cord injury (SCI) has safely treated its first group of patients and begun recruiting the second, should other SCI researchers close up shop? Of course not. Since it’s a first-in-human trial, there certainly will be room for improvement even if the therapy proves successful. … Continue reading Researchers Identify Potential New Cell Source for Spinal Cord Injury Treatments
Cell Type
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
Stem cell transplant offers Jake a glimpse of hope
Jake Javier surrounded by friends; Photo courtesy Julie Haener KTVU On Thursday, July 7th, Jake Javier became the latest member of a very select group. Jake underwent a stem cell transplant for a spinal cord injury at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center here in the San Francisco Bay Area. The therapy is part of the … Continue reading Stem cell transplant offers Jake a glimpse of hope
Salk Scientists Unlock New Secrets of Autism Using Human Stem Cells
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder whose mental, physical, social and emotional symptoms are highly variable from person to person. Because individuals exhibit different combinations and severities of symptoms, the concept of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is now used to define the range of conditions. There are many hypotheses for why autism occurs in humans … Continue reading Salk Scientists Unlock New Secrets of Autism Using Human Stem Cells
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
Scientists find new stem cell target for regenerating aging muscles
Today I’m going to use our former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as an example of what happens to our muscles when we age. One of Arnold’s many talents when he was younger was being a professional bodybuilder. As you can see in this photo, Arnold worked hard to generate an impressive amount of muscle that landed … Continue reading Scientists find new stem cell target for regenerating aging muscles
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: growing muscle, new blood vessels and pacemakers and Tommy John surgery
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. Better way to grow muscle. The specialized stem cells responsible for repairing muscle, the satellite cells, have always been difficult to grow in large quantities … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: growing muscle, new blood vessels and pacemakers and Tommy John surgery
Finally a possible use for your excess fat; using it to fix your arthritic knee
One of the most common questions we get asked at CIRM, almost every other day to be honest, is “are there any stem cell treatments for people with arthritis in their knees?” It’s not surprising. This is a problem that plagues millions of Americans and is one of the leading causes of disability in the … Continue reading Finally a possible use for your excess fat; using it to fix your arthritic knee
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?
Sickle Cell Disease Leaves No Organ Untouched
“There really isn’t an organ in the body that isn’t affected by sickle cell disease.” This striking comment was made by the Dr. Bertram Lubin, the CEO and President of the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) and a CIRM Board Member. Yesterday Dr. Lubin visited CIRM headquarters to talk about sickle cell disease (SCD). … Continue reading Sickle Cell Disease Leaves No Organ Untouched
The Stem Cellar 