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. Adele Miller knew what came next. She had lived it twice already: her father's unraveling, due to Alzheimer’s disease, and, a few years later, her mother's journey … Continue reading Stories of Hope: Alzheimer’s Disease
Disease Areas
Stem Cell Stories that Caught our Eye: What’s the Best Way to Treat Deadly Cancer, Destroying Red Blood Cells’ Barricade, Profile of CIRM Scientist Denis Evseenko
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. Stem Cells vs. Drugs for Treating Deadly Cancer. When dealing with a potentially deadly form of cancer, choosing the right treatment is critical. But what … Continue reading Stem Cell Stories that Caught our Eye: What’s the Best Way to Treat Deadly Cancer, Destroying Red Blood Cells’ Barricade, Profile of CIRM Scientist Denis Evseenko
UCSD Team Launches CIRM-Funded Trial to Test Safety of New Leukemia Drug
Ridding weeds from your lawn can be a frustrating experience without a good weeding tool in hand. If you don’t rip out the whole weed, root and all, it’s likely to grow back in no time. Cancer patients and their physicians experience a similar frustration but with deadly consequences. Many current cancer treatment “tools” effectively … Continue reading UCSD Team Launches CIRM-Funded Trial to Test Safety of New Leukemia Drug
Body’s own Healing Powers Could be Harnessed to Regrow Muscle, Wake Forest Study Finds
Imagine being able to repair muscle that had been damaged in an injury, not by transplanting new muscle or even by transplanting cells, but rather simply by laying the necessary groundwork—and letting the body do the rest. The ability for the human body to regenerate tissues lost to injury or disease may still be closer … Continue reading Body’s own Healing Powers Could be Harnessed to Regrow Muscle, Wake Forest Study Finds
A Tumor’s Trojan Horse: CIRM Researchers Build Nanoparticles to Infiltrate Hard-to-Reach Tumors
Some tumors are hard to find, while others are hard to destroy. Fortunately, a new research study from the University of California, Davis, has developed a new type of nanoparticle that could one day do both. Reporting in the latest issue of Nature Communications, researchers in the laboratory of UC Davis’ Dr. Kit Lam describe … Continue reading A Tumor’s Trojan Horse: CIRM Researchers Build Nanoparticles to Infiltrate Hard-to-Reach Tumors
FDA gives Asterias green light to start CIRM-funded clinical trial in spinal cord injury
This morning Asterias Biotherapeutics announced that they have been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start a clinical trial using stem cells to treat spinal cord injury. It’s great news, doubly so as we are funding that trial. You can read more about the trial in a news release we just sent … Continue reading FDA gives Asterias green light to start CIRM-funded clinical trial in spinal cord injury
Building a Blueprint for the Human Brain
How does a brain blossom from a small cluster of cells into nature’s most powerful supercomputer? The answer has long puzzled scientists, but with new advances in stem cell biology, researchers are quickly mapping the complex suite of connections that together make up the brain. One of the latest breakthroughs comes from Dr. Daniel Geschwind … Continue reading Building a Blueprint for the Human Brain
World’s largest pharmaceutical company signs deal with ViaCyte supporting stem cell therapy for type 1 diabetes
It’s been a good week for ViaCyte, a good week for us here at the stem cell agency and potentially a great week for people with type 1 diabetes.Earlier this week ViaCyte announced they have been given approval to start a clinical trial for their new approach to treating type 1 diabetes. Then today they announced … Continue reading World’s largest pharmaceutical company signs deal with ViaCyte supporting stem cell therapy for type 1 diabetes
Disease in a Dish – That’s a Mouthful: Using Human Stem Cells to Find ALS Treatments
Saying “let’s put some shrimp on the barbie” will whet an Australian’s appetite for barbequed prawns but for an American it conjures up an odd image of placing shrimp on a Barbie doll. This sort of word play confusion doesn’t just happen across continents but also between scientists and the public. Take “disease in a … Continue reading Disease in a Dish – That’s a Mouthful: Using Human Stem Cells to Find ALS Treatments
First of its kind stem cell production facility sets its sights on deadly childhood disease
We are used to hearing about immune suppression when transplanting organs or cells from one person to another. It’s a necessary step in preventing the body from attacking the transplanted material. Now Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) has just unveiled its newest tool to treat rare childhood diseases. Instead of focusing on immune suppression … Continue reading First of its kind stem cell production facility sets its sights on deadly childhood disease
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