Getting under the skin of people with type 1 diabetes – but in a good way

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIOCAST As someone with a family history of type 1 diabetes (T1D) I know how devastating the condition can be. I also know how challenging it can be to keep it under control and the consequences of failing to do that. Not maintaining healthy blood sugar levels can … Continue reading Getting under the skin of people with type 1 diabetes – but in a good way

Looking back and looking forward: good news for two CIRM-supported studies

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4IimCtQ8STpFikwZRXqSAB Dr. Rosa Bacchetta on the right with Brian Lookofsky (left) and Taylor Lookofsky after CIRM funded Dr. Bacchetta's work in October 2019. Taylor has IPEX syndrome It’s always lovely to end the week on a bright note and that’s certainly the case this week, thanks to some encouraging news about CIRM-funded research targeting blood … Continue reading Looking back and looking forward: good news for two CIRM-supported studies

Celebrating Stem Cell Awareness Day

THIS BLOD IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIOCAST ON SPOTIFY The second Wednesday in October is celebrated as Stem Cell Awareness Day. It's an event that CIRM has been part of since then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger launched it back in 2008 saying: ”The discoveries being made today in our Golden State will have a great … Continue reading Celebrating Stem Cell Awareness Day

A new approach to a deadly childhood cancer

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Cancers of the blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes (also called hematologic malignancies) are the most common form of cancer in children and young adults. Current treatments can be effective but can also pose life-threatening health risks to the child. Now researchers at Stanford have developed … Continue reading A new approach to a deadly childhood cancer

Lack of diversity impacts research into Alzheimer’s and dementia

THIS BLOT IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIOCAST ON SPOTIFY A National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases clinical trial admissions coordinator collects information from a volunteer to create a medical record. Credit: NIAID Alzheimer’s research has been in the news a lot lately, and not for the right reasons. The controversial decision by the … Continue reading Lack of diversity impacts research into Alzheimer’s and dementia

Mother and daughter team up to fight bias and discrimination in treatment for people with sickle cell disease

LISTEN TO AN AUDIO VERSION OF THIS BLOG Adrienne Shapiro and Marissa Cors are a remarkable pair by any definition. The mother and daughter duo share a common bond, and a common goal. And they are determined not to let anyone stop them achieving that goal. Marissa was born with sickle cell disease (SCD) a … Continue reading Mother and daughter team up to fight bias and discrimination in treatment for people with sickle cell disease

Stem cell therapy may help mend a broken heart

Blausen.com staff (2014). "Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014 Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a condition where the muscles of the heart are weak and can lead to heart failure, is considered rare in children. However, because the symptoms are not always easy to recognize the condition can go unnoticed for many years, and in severe cases … Continue reading Stem cell therapy may help mend a broken heart

CIRM funds clinical trials targeting heart disease, stroke and childhood brain tumors

Gary Steinberg (Jonathan Sprague) Heart disease and stroke are two of the leading causes of death and disability and for people who have experienced either their treatment options are very limited. Current therapies focus on dealing with the immediate impact of the attack, but there is nothing to deal with the longer-term impact. The CIRM … Continue reading CIRM funds clinical trials targeting heart disease, stroke and childhood brain tumors

Celebrating a young life that almost wasn’t

Often on the Stem Cellar we feature CIRM-funded work that is helping advance the field, unlocking some of the secrets of stem cells and how best to use them to develop promising therapies. But every once in a while it’s good to remind ourselves that this work, while it may often seem slow, is already … Continue reading Celebrating a young life that almost wasn’t

Board Funds Fifteen Bridges to Stem Cell Research and Therapy Programs Across California and New Sickle Cell Disease Trial

Yesterday the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) awarded $8.39 million to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) to fund a clinical trial for sickle cell disease (SCD).  An additional $51.08 million was awarded to fifteen community colleges and universities across California to fund undergraduate and master’s level programs that … Continue reading Board Funds Fifteen Bridges to Stem Cell Research and Therapy Programs Across California and New Sickle Cell Disease Trial