Ja'Ceon Golden; 'cured" of SCID At CIRM we are very cautious about using the “c” word. Saying someone has been “cured” is a powerful statement but one that loses its meaning when over used or used inappropriately. However, in the case of a new study from U.C. San Francisco and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital … Continue reading CIRM-funded therapy helps “bubble babies” lead a normal life
Clinical Trials
Facebook Live: Ask the Stem Cell Team About Clinical Trials
Every day at CIRM we get emails and calls from people looking for a stem cell clinical trial to help them. Some have arthritis in the knee or hip and want to avoid surgery. Some have a child with autism and want something that will ease the symptoms. Some have cancer and conventional therapies no … Continue reading Facebook Live: Ask the Stem Cell Team About Clinical Trials
200 years later, the search for a cure for Parkinson’s continues
On the surface, actor Michael J. Fox, singer Neil Diamond, civil rights activist Jesse Jackson and Scottish comedian Billy Connolly would appear to have little in common. Except for one thing. They all have Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Their celebrity status has helped raise public awareness about the condition, but studies show that awareness doesn’t amount … Continue reading 200 years later, the search for a cure for Parkinson’s continues
First patient treated for colon cancer using reprogrammed adult cells
Dr. Sandip Patel (left) and Dr. Dan Kaufman (center) of UC San Diego School of Medicine enjoy a light-hearted moment before Derek Ruff (right) receives the first treatment for cancer using human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Photo courtesy of UC San Diego Health. For patients battling cancer for the first time, it can be quite … Continue reading First patient treated for colon cancer using reprogrammed adult cells
Mending Stem Cells: The Past, Present & Future of Regenerative Medicine
UCSF's Mission Bay Campus For years we have talked about the “promise” and the “potential” of stem cells to cure patients. But more and more we are seeing firsthand how stem cells can change a patient’s life, even saving it in some cases. That’s the theme of the 4th Annual CIRM Alpha Stem Cell Clinics … Continue reading Mending Stem Cells: The Past, Present & Future of Regenerative Medicine
Promising start to CIRM-funded trial for life-threatening blood disorder
Aristotle At CIRM we are always happy to highlight success stories, particularly when they involve research we are funding. But we are also mindful of the need not to overstate a finding. To quote the Greek philosopher Aristotle (who doesn’t often make an appearance on this blog), “one swallow does not a summer make”. In … Continue reading Promising start to CIRM-funded trial for life-threatening blood disorder
Rats, research and the road to new therapies
Don Reed Don Reed has been a champion of CIRM even before there was a CIRM. He's a pioneer in pushing for funding for stem cell research and now he's working hard to raise awareness about the difference that funding is making. In a recent article on Daily Kos, Don highlighted one of the less … Continue reading Rats, research and the road to new therapies
Gene therapy gives patient a cure and a new lease on life
Brenden Whittaker (left), of Ohio, is a patient born with a rare genetic immune disease who was treated at the Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in a CIRM funded gene therapy trial. Dr. David Williams (on right) is Brenden's treating physician.Photo courtesy of Rose Lincoln - Harvard Staff Photographer Pursuing an education can … Continue reading Gene therapy gives patient a cure and a new lease on life
Mending Stem Cells: The Past, Present and Future of Regenerative Medicine
To Mend: (verb used with object) to make (something broken, worn, torn or otherwise damaged) whole, sound or usable by repairing. It’s remarkable to believe, but today doctors literally have the tools to repair damaged cells. These tools are being used to treat people with diseases that were once incurable. The field of regenerative medicine has made tremendous … Continue reading Mending Stem Cells: The Past, Present and Future of Regenerative Medicine
Rare Disease Day – fighting for awareness and hope
It’s hard thinking of something as rare when one in 20 people are at risk of experiencing it in their lifetime. But that’s the situation with rare diseases. There are more than 7,000 of them and each affects under 200,000 people. In some cases they may only affect a few hundred people. But for each … Continue reading Rare Disease Day – fighting for awareness and hope
The Stem Cellar 