Therapies aimed at replacing damaged cells with a fresh, healthy batch hold immense promise—but there remains one major sticking point: once you have injected new, healthy cells into the patient, how do you track them and how do you ensure they do the job for which they were designed? Unfortunately, there’s no easy solution. The … Continue reading New Cellular Tracking Device Tests Ability of Cell-Based Therapies to Reach Intended Destination
Disease Areas
New Videos: Living with Crohn’s Disease and Working Towards a Stem Cell Therapy
Note: the two videos below are also available on our website She doesn’t want your sympathy. She doesn’t want your admiration. She just wants your understanding. Rachel Bonner, a sixteen-year-old high school student and founder of the Hope for Crohn’s charity, spoke to the CIRM governing Board on September 10th about what it’s like living … Continue reading New Videos: Living with Crohn’s Disease and Working Towards a Stem Cell Therapy
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger: Scientists Work to Create Improved Immune System One Cell at a Time
The human immune system is the body’s best defense against invaders. But even our hardy immune systems can sometimes be outpaced by particularly dangerous bacteria, viruses or other pathogens, or even by cancer. But what if we could give our immune system a boost when it needs it most? Last week scientists at the Salk … Continue reading Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger: Scientists Work to Create Improved Immune System One Cell at a Time
Stories of Hope: Stroke
Six months after surviving a stroke, Sonia Olea wanted to die. Her right leg was weak, her right arm useless. She had trouble speaking and even small tasks were challenging. Just making a phone call was virtually impossible. One morning, she woke up with her arm pinned in an awkward, painful position. After finally repositioning … Continue reading Stories of Hope: Stroke
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: first iPS clinical trial, cancer metabolism and magnates helping heal hearts
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. First clinical trial with reprogrammed stem cells. Today, a Japanese woman became the first patient to be treated with cells derived from reprogrammed iPS-type stem … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: first iPS clinical trial, cancer metabolism and magnates helping heal hearts
Stories of Hope: Sickle Cell Disease
This week on The Stem Cellar we feature some of our most inspiring patients and patient advocates as they share, in their own words, their Stories of Hope. Adrienne Shapiro pledged she would give her daughter Marissa the best possible life she could have—wearing herself out if necessary. Her baby girl had sickle cell disease, … Continue reading Stories of Hope: Sickle Cell Disease
Stories of Hope: Spinal Cord Injury
This week on The Stem Cellar we feature some of our most inspiring patients and patient advocates as they share, in their own words, their Stories of Hope. Katie Sharify had six days to decide: would she let her broken body become experimental territory for a revolutionary new approach—even if it was unlikely to do … Continue reading Stories of Hope: Spinal Cord Injury
Stories of Hope: Leukemia
This week on The Stem Cellar we feature some of our most inspiring patients and patient advocates as they share, in their own words, their Stories of Hope. Stem cells create life. But if things go wrong, they can also threaten it. Theresa Blanda found that out the hard way. Fortunately for her, CIRM-funded research … Continue reading Stories of Hope: Leukemia
Stories of Hope: Diabetes
This week on The Stem Cellar we feature some of our most inspiring patients and patient advocates as they share, in their own words, their Stories of Hope. The last thing Maria Torres expected was to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She exercised, ate well and kept her weight under control. There had to … Continue reading Stories of Hope: Diabetes
CIRM-Funded Scientists Test Recipe for Building New Muscles
When muscles get damaged due to disease or injury, the body activates its reserves—muscle stem cells that head to the injury site and mature into fully functioning muscle cells. But when the reserves are all used up, things get tricky. This is especially the case for people living with muscle diseases, such as muscular dystrophy, … Continue reading CIRM-Funded Scientists Test Recipe for Building New Muscles