Government agencies are known for many things, but generally speaking a willingness to do some voluntary, deep self-examination is not one of them. However, for the last few weeks CIRM has been doing a lot of introspection as we develop a new Strategic Plan, a kind of road map for where we are heading. But … Continue reading Pushing, pulling and dragging stem cell research forward
Cell Type
Giving stem cells the right physical cues produced micro hearts, maybe a tool to avoid birth defects
Heart defects, one of the leading types of birth defects, often result from drugs mom is taking, but we have not had a good model of developing fetal hearts to test drugs for these side effects. Now, a team at the University of California, Berkeley and the Gladstone Institutes has created micro heart chambers in … Continue reading Giving stem cells the right physical cues produced micro hearts, maybe a tool to avoid birth defects
Two studies show genes and their switches critical to brain cancer’s resistance to therapy
Two California teams discovered genetic machinery that cancer stem cells in high-grade brain cancers use to evade therapy. One CIRM-funded team at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles pinpointed a family of genes that turn off other genes that chemotherapy targets —effectively hiding them from the chemo. The other team at the University of California, San Diego … Continue reading Two studies show genes and their switches critical to brain cancer’s resistance to therapy
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: correcting cystic fibrosis gene, improving IVF outcome, growing bone and Dolly
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. Cystic Fibrosis gene corrected in stem cells. A team at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston corrected the defective gene that causes cystic … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: correcting cystic fibrosis gene, improving IVF outcome, growing bone and Dolly
Partnering with Big Pharma to benefit patients
Our mission at CIRM is to accelerate the development of stem cell therapies for patients with unmet medical needs. One way we have been doing that is funding promising research to help it get through what’s called the “Valley of Death.” This is the time between a product or project showing promise and the time … Continue reading Partnering with Big Pharma to benefit patients
Parkinson’s blog explains the science behind turning skin cells into a model for the disease
When my colleagues and I write about new advances in stem cell science we often rely on what I refer to as the Sydney Harris method of explaining the science. One of the cartoonist’s most reproduced drawings shows a researcher writing a series of steps on a chalk board with one in the middle being … Continue reading Parkinson’s blog explains the science behind turning skin cells into a model for the disease
Not all reprogrammed stem cells are the same—an eye-catching example
Scientists can take any adult tissue whether skin, blood or nerve and use genetic factors to reprogram them into embryonic-like stem cells. But the Nobel Prize-winning technique does not produce stem cells with equal ability to mature into various tissues needed to repair damage from disease or injury. A team at St. Jude Children’s Research … Continue reading Not all reprogrammed stem cells are the same—an eye-catching example
New tech tool speeds up stem cell research
It’s hard to do a good job if you don’t have the right tools. Now researchers have access to a great new tool that could really help them accelerate their work, a tool its developers say “will revolutionize the way cell biologists develop” stem cell models to test in the lab. The device is called … Continue reading New tech tool speeds up stem cell research
Hed: Stem cell stories that caught our eye: the why’s of heart failure, harnessing stem cells’ repair kits and growing organs
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. Stem cell model sheds light on heat failure. Pretty much everyone who has heart failure due to cardiomyopathy—where the heart muscle doesn’t work as effectively … Continue reading Hed: Stem cell stories that caught our eye: the why’s of heart failure, harnessing stem cells’ repair kits and growing organs
Holy Guacamole! Nutrient in Avocado Kills Cancer Stem Cells
Over four billion avocados were sold last year in the U.S. and for good reason – they're so darn delicious and good for you too (wish you could say the same for doughnuts). Often called the world's perfect food, avocados are high in fiber and packed with vitamins. Even the fat they contain is the … Continue reading Holy Guacamole! Nutrient in Avocado Kills Cancer Stem Cells
The Stem Cellar 