A conversation with CIRM board member Yael Wyte

Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Yael Wyte knows all too well how difficult it can be to have or care for someone with Alzheimer’s Disease—she has been working with and advocating for people with Alzheimer's Disease for more than 20 years. Earlier this year, Wyte joined the board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine … Continue reading A conversation with CIRM board member Yael Wyte

How California is advancing our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease using stem cells 

Over 14,000 people in Fresno County are living with Alzheimer's, and it’s estimated that more than 720,000 people are living with the brain disorder in California.   That’s why the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM)—a state of California agency dedicated to funding regenerative medicine research—joined the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Fresno/Madera to … Continue reading How California is advancing our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease using stem cells 

Life lessons learned in the CIRM summer intern program

SPARK poster session; Photo by Esteban Cortez When I was in high school I spent my summers working in a shoe shop and playing soccer with my mates. It never occurred to me that I could do something really  worthwhile with that time. So, when I meet the high school students who took part in … Continue reading Life lessons learned in the CIRM summer intern program

Two common viruses could trigger Alzheimer’s disease

Researchers from Tufts University and the University of Oxford have found that two common viruses —the varicella zoster and herpes simplex viruses— could trigger Alzheimer's disease. Varicella zoster (VZV) is an extremely common virus causes which causes chickenpox. Once cured of the first infection, the virus tends to linger in peripheral nerves where they remain dormant. When these dormant viruses are … Continue reading Two common viruses could trigger Alzheimer’s disease

Study reveals new evidence of key mechanism in Alzheimer’s

In California, 690,000 people aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s, a degenerative brain disease and the most common form of dementia. In the United States, 5.8 million people aged 65 and older live with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's affects memory, thinking and behavior and symptoms eventually grow in severity to interfere with daily tasks.   … Continue reading Study reveals new evidence of key mechanism in Alzheimer’s

Stem Cell Agency Board Invests in 19 Discovery Research Programs Targeting Cancers, Heart Disease and Other Disorders

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Dr. Judy Shizuru, Stanford University While stem cell and gene therapy research has advanced dramatically in recent years, there are still many unknowns and many questions remaining about how best to use these approaches in developing therapies. That’s why the governing Board of the California Institute … Continue reading Stem Cell Agency Board Invests in 19 Discovery Research Programs Targeting Cancers, Heart Disease and Other Disorders

Can regenerative medicine turn back the clock on aging?

One of my favorite phrases is “standing room only”. I got a chance to use it last week when we held a panel discussion on whether regenerative medicine could turn back the clock on aging. The event was at the annual conference of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) and more than 150 … Continue reading Can regenerative medicine turn back the clock on aging?

Join us to hear how stem cell and gene therapy are taking on diseases of aging

It is estimated that as many as 90 percent of people in industrialized countries who die every day, die from diseases of aging such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Of those still alive the numbers aren’t much more reassuring. More than 80 percent of people over the age of 65 have a chronic medical … Continue reading Join us to hear how stem cell and gene therapy are taking on diseases of aging

Turning back the clock to make old skin cells young again

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Dr. Diljeet Gill, photo courtesy Babraham Institute, Cambridge UK Sometimes when I am giving public presentations people ask if stem cells are good for the face. I always say that if stem cells could help improve people’s faces would I look like this. It’s a line … Continue reading Turning back the clock to make old skin cells young again

How some brilliant research may have uncovered a potential therapy for Alzheimer’s 

Dr. Nicole Koutsodendris, photo courtesy Gladstone Institutes In the world of scientific research, the people doing clinical trials tend to suck up all the oxygen in the room. They’re the stars, the ones who are bringing potential therapies to patients. However, there’s another group of researchers who toil away in the background, but who are … Continue reading How some brilliant research may have uncovered a potential therapy for Alzheimer’s