Making sure patients get the treatment they need and not a "snake oil" substitute We are at a turning point in regenerative medicine as the first wave of treatments have obtained FDA approval. But at the same time as we see the advance of scientifically rigorous research and regulated products we are also witnessing the … Continue reading Enabling the Best Choice for Patients: The Need for Effective Patient Navigation
Clinical Trials
‘A Tornado at the Front Door, a Tsunami at the Back Door’
CIRM funds a lot of research and all of it has life-saving potential. But every once in a while you come across a story about someone benefiting from CIRM-supported research that highlights why the work we do is so important. This story is about a brilliant researcher at UC San Diego developing a treatment for … Continue reading ‘A Tornado at the Front Door, a Tsunami at the Back Door’
Donor blood stem cells and T cells could help patients wean off immunosuppressive drugs after organ transplant
Dr. Samuel Strober is refining a process that eliminates the need for the many immunosuppresant drugs normally required after a transplant.Image credit: Stanford Medicine News Center In 2019, there were over 23,000 kidney transplants in the United States, according to figures from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). These transplants can be lifesaving, but … Continue reading Donor blood stem cells and T cells could help patients wean off immunosuppressive drugs after organ transplant
Stem Cell/Gene Therapy combo heals patients battling rare disorder
Brenden Whittaker and his dog: Photo by Colin McGuire A few years ago, Brenden Whittaker was running out of time. Brenden was born with a rare condition called x-linked chronic granulomatous disease or XCGD. It meant he lacked a critical part of his immune system that protects against bacterial or fungal infections. Over 22 years … Continue reading Stem Cell/Gene Therapy combo heals patients battling rare disorder
Rave reviews for new Killer-T Cell study
Anytime you read a news headline that claims a new discovery "may treat all cancer" it's time to put your skeptic's hat on. After all, there have been so many over-hyped "discoveries" over the years that later flopped, that it would be natural to question the headline writer. And yet, this time, maybe, this one … Continue reading Rave reviews for new Killer-T Cell study
It’s official: the state of regenerative medicine is strong
A panel discussion to a packed house at the annual ARM State of the Industry briefing Calling it a “year of dramatic impact for patients” Janet Lambert, the CEO of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), gave the annual “State of the Industry” briefing today in San Francisco. The briefing is a traditional kick-off event … Continue reading It’s official: the state of regenerative medicine is strong
Dashed Dreams and New Hope: A Quest to Cure Thymic Deficiency
By Kelly Shepard, PhD., CIRM's Associate Director, Discovery & Translation CIRM has previously blogged about advances in treating certain forms of “bubble baby” disease”, where a person is born with a defect in their blood forming stem cells that results in a deficient immune system, rendering them vulnerable to lethal infections by all manner of … Continue reading Dashed Dreams and New Hope: A Quest to Cure Thymic Deficiency
The Top CIRM Blogs of 2019
This year the most widely read blog was actually one we wrote back in 2018. It’s the transcript of a Facebook Live: “Ask the Stem Cell Team” event about strokes and stroke recovery. Because stroke is the third leading cause of death and disability in the US it’s probably no surprise this blog has lasting … Continue reading The Top CIRM Blogs of 2019
Facebook Live: Ask the Stem Cell Team
On December 12th we hosted our latest 'Facebook Live: Ask the Stem Cell Team' event. This time around we really did mean team. We had a host of our Science Officers answering questions from friends and supporters of CIRM. We got a lot of questions and didn't have enough time to address them all. So … Continue reading Facebook Live: Ask the Stem Cell Team
CIRM’s Alpha Stem Cell Clinics Given High Profile Role in Clinical Trials Network
Sue and Bill Gross Hall Photo by Hoang Xuan Pham/ UC Irvine There are a growing number of predatory clinics in California and around the US, offering unproven stem cell therapies. For patients seeking a legitimate therapy it can often be hard finding a reliable clinic, one offering treatments based on the rigorous science required … Continue reading CIRM’s Alpha Stem Cell Clinics Given High Profile Role in Clinical Trials Network
The Stem Cellar 