In science, there are a lot of terms that could easily mystify people without a research background; “translational” is not one of them. Translational research simply means to take findings from basic research and advance them into something that is ready to be tested in people in a clinical trial. Yesterday our Governing Board approved … Continue reading Translating great stem cell ideas into effective therapies
Age-Related Disease
Cloning breakthrough: Dolly the sheep has sister clones and they’re healthy
On the topic of famous farm animals, a few come to mind: Babe the pig, Old Yeller, Mr. Ed, and the cast of Charlotte’s Web. Many of us grew up with these fictional characters and hold them near and dear to our heart, but what about real, living farm animals? The first that comes to … Continue reading Cloning breakthrough: Dolly the sheep has sister clones and they’re healthy
Embryonic gene reverses old age in adult stem cells, in the lab
Getting old is an inevitable fact of life but what exactly causes it? One major hallmark of the aging process is cell senescence, in which cells gradually lose the ability to divide, leading to a breakdown in proper organ function. Adult stem cells that reside in our tissues usually spring into action to replenish cells … Continue reading Embryonic gene reverses old age in adult stem cells, in the lab
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: turning on T cells; fixing our brains; progress and trends in stem cells; and one young man’s journey to recover from a devastating injury
A healthy T cell 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. Directing the creation of T cells. To paraphrase the GOP Presidential nominee, any sane person LOVES, LOVES LOVES their T cells, … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: turning on T cells; fixing our brains; progress and trends in stem cells; and one young man’s journey to recover from a devastating injury
National honor for helping “the blind see”
Those of us fortunate to have good health take so many things for granted, not the least of which is our ability to see. But, according to the World Health Organization, there are 39 million people worldwide who are blind, and another 246 million who are visually impaired. Any therapy, any device, that can help … Continue reading National honor for helping “the blind see”
To modify, or not to modify: Experts discuss human germline modification at WSCS15
The question of whether human germline modification, or the genetic modification of human reproductive cells, should be allowed or banned was discussed by a panel of experts in the Ethics, Law and Society session during Day 1 of the World Stem Cell Summit. On the panel were Aubrey de Grey, Chief Science Officer of the … Continue reading To modify, or not to modify: Experts discuss human germline modification at WSCS15
CIRM Scholar Spotlight: Berkeley’s Maroof Adil on stem cell transplants for Parkinson’s disease
Stem cell therapy has a lot of potential for Parkinson’s patients and the scientists that study it. One of our very own CIRM scholars, Maroof Adil, is making it his mission to develop stem cell based therapies to treat brain degenerating diseases like Parkinson’s. Maroof got his undergraduate degrees from MIT in both Chemical Engineering … Continue reading CIRM Scholar Spotlight: Berkeley’s Maroof Adil on stem cell transplants for Parkinson’s disease
New type of diabetes caused by old age may be treatable
I’m going to tell you a secret: I love sugar. I love it so much that as a little kid my mom used to tell me scary stories about how my teeth would fall out and that I might get diabetes one day if I ate too many sweets. Thankfully, none of these things happened. … Continue reading New type of diabetes caused by old age may be treatable
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: sleepy stem cells, pig organ donors, therapy in the womb and dementia
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. A rested stem cell is a better stem cell. A bone marrow stem cell donor who has a sleep deficit of as little as four … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: sleepy stem cells, pig organ donors, therapy in the womb and dementia
Keeping elderly cells old to understand the aging process
Aging is a key risk factor for many diseases, particularly disorders of the brain like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, which primarily occur in the elderly. So a better understanding of the aging process should provide a better understanding of these neurodegenerative diseases. The induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technique makes it possible to grow human brain … Continue reading Keeping elderly cells old to understand the aging process
The Stem Cellar 