Honoring Dr. John Zaia: A Legacy of Science, Leadership, and Kindness 

Photo Courtesy: City of Hope The scientific community lost a true pioneer with the passing of John A. Zaia, MD, a visionary virologist, gene therapy trailblazer, and esteemed leader at City of Hope. Dr. Zaia dedicated over four decades to advancing regenerative medicine, leaving a profound impact on HIV research, pediatric diseases, stem cell transplantation, … Continue reading Honoring Dr. John Zaia: A Legacy of Science, Leadership, and Kindness 

World AIDS Day at the 3rd Annual Timothy Ray Brown Community Cure Symposium

Event recap written by guest writer Jacqueline Hantgan, CIRM Sr. Outreach Advisor for Outreach and Advocacy December is HIV/AIDS Awareness Month. To commemorate this important event, CIRM recently supported the 3rd Annual Timothy Ray Brown Community Cure Symposium which took place at the Palm Springs Art Museum on World AIDS Day−December 1, 2024. It was … Continue reading World AIDS Day at the 3rd Annual Timothy Ray Brown Community Cure Symposium

CIRM Joins World AIDS Day Campaign, Commits $104 Million for HIV Research

John A. Zaia, MD, of Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope This year marks the 35th commemoration of World AIDS Day, a global event that aims to end human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) related stigma, honor people lost to the disease, and reaffirm the commitment to ensuring HIV is no longer a public health threat.   … Continue reading CIRM Joins World AIDS Day Campaign, Commits $104 Million for HIV Research

Investing in stem cell and gene therapy treatments for HIV

A recent article in Nature shared the news about a 53-year-old man in Germany who was declared free of HIV after receiving virus-resistant cells.  The man—referred to as the “Düsseldorf patient”—was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and underwent a stem cell transplant in 2013 that replaced his bone marrow cells with HIV-resistant stem cells from … Continue reading Investing in stem cell and gene therapy treatments for HIV

Pioneering a new approach to HIV/AIDS

Dr. Steven Deeks. Photo courtesy UCSF I’ve always been impressed by the willingness of individuals to step forward and volunteer for a clinical trial. Even more so when they are the first person ever to test a first-in-human therapy. They really are pioneers in helping advance a whole new approach to treating disease.  That’s certainly … Continue reading Pioneering a new approach to HIV/AIDS

Funding a Clinical Trial for a Functional Cure for HIV

The use of antiretroviral drugs has turned HIV/AIDS from a fatal disease to one that can, in many cases in the US, be controlled. But these drugs are not a cure. That's why the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) voted to approve investing $6.85 million in a therapy that aims … Continue reading Funding a Clinical Trial for a Functional Cure for HIV

How CIRM contributed to City of Hope study helping man with HIV into long-term remission

The news that a stem cell transplant at City of Hope helped a man with HIV go into long-term remission made banner headlines around the world. As it should. It’s a huge achievement, particularly as the 66-year-old man had been living with HIV since 1988. What wasn’t reported was that work supported by the California … Continue reading How CIRM contributed to City of Hope study helping man with HIV into long-term remission

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

UC Davis Health researchers aim to use CAR T cells for HIV cure

Dr. Abedi (right) in the lab at UC Davis Health. He and his team of researchers have launched a study looking to identify a potential cure for HIV. Photo Courtesy of UC Davis Health. Worldwide, almost 38 million people are living with HIV—the virus that can lead to AIDS— and it’s estimated that 75% of … Continue reading UC Davis Health researchers aim to use CAR T cells for HIV cure

The Evolution of World AIDS Day: Then and Now 

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST TIME cover stories on AIDS through the years A truly modern epidemic, HIV/AIDS has hit every continent on the planet and affects nearly 40 million people worldwide. Today, we celebrate World AIDS Day by commemorating those who have died from AIDS-related illness, showing support for people living … Continue reading The Evolution of World AIDS Day: Then and Now