Former San Francisco Mayor and California State Assembly Speaker Willie Brown is many things, but shy is not one of them. A profile of him in the San Francisco Chronicle once described him as “Brash, smart, confident”. But for years Da Mayor – as he is fondly known in The City – said very little … Continue reading Da Mayor and the clinical trial that could help save his vision
Blindness
Not all reprogrammed stem cells are the same—an eye-catching example
Scientists can take any adult tissue whether skin, blood or nerve and use genetic factors to reprogram them into embryonic-like stem cells. But the Nobel Prize-winning technique does not produce stem cells with equal ability to mature into various tissues needed to repair damage from disease or injury. A team at St. Jude Children’s Research … Continue reading Not all reprogrammed stem cells are the same—an eye-catching example
Old brains in mice given a trait of young brains with embryonic nerve transplant
As we age our brains become less adept at making new nerve connections or repairing broken ones. A CIRM-funded team at the University of California, Irvine, restored this youthful ability, called nerve plasticity, to adult mice by transplanting embryonic nerve cells. Specifically, they worked with mice that had a form of blurred vision known as … Continue reading Old brains in mice given a trait of young brains with embryonic nerve transplant
A hopeful sight: therapy for vision loss cleared for clinical trial
Rosalinda Barrero says people often thought she was rude, or a snob, because of the way she behaved, pretending not to see them or ignoring them on the street. The truth is Rosalinda has retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a nasty disease, one that often attacks early in life and slowly destroys a person’s vision. Rosalinda’s eyes … Continue reading A hopeful sight: therapy for vision loss cleared for clinical trial
Pioneer’s 25-year struggle to treat blindness
Being a pioneer is never easy. You are charting unknown territory, tackling problems that have defeated others before you. You have to overcome so many obstacles that at times the challenge can seem insurmountable. But for those who succeed in reaching their goal, the rewards can be extraordinary. Last month Italian researcher Graziella Pellegrini saw … Continue reading Pioneer’s 25-year struggle to treat blindness
Stem cell stories that caught our eye; progress toward artificial brain, teeth may help the blind and obesity
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. More progress toward artificial brain. A team at the RIKEN Institute in Japan has used stem cells in a 3-D culture to create brain tissue … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye; progress toward artificial brain, teeth may help the blind and obesity
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: EU approves a cell therapy, second ALS treatment shows promise and new gut cells work
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. Europe approves first 2nd generation stem cell therapy. While blood stem cells in bone marrow have been used to treat patients with certain blood cancers … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: EU approves a cell therapy, second ALS treatment shows promise and new gut cells work
CIRM-Funded UC-Irvine Team Set to Launch Stem Cell Trial for Retinitis Pigmentosa in 2015
Rosalinda Barrero has often been mistaken for a rude snob. She has the habit of not saying hello or even acknowledging the presence of acquaintances that she passes around town. But in fact this kind, loving mom of three has been steadily losing her vision over a lifetime. And she doesn’t seem blind because people … Continue reading CIRM-Funded UC-Irvine Team Set to Launch Stem Cell Trial for Retinitis Pigmentosa in 2015
The Stem Cellar 