Study shows reduction in brain injury after stroke patients were treated with their own stem cells

Illustration showing the mechanism of an ischemic stroke. In an ischemic stroke, blood supply to part of the brain is decreased, leading to dysfunction of that area of the brain. Here, a blood clot is the reason for restricted blood flow. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and serious long-term disability and affects … Continue reading Study shows reduction in brain injury after stroke patients were treated with their own stem cells

Study shows connection between bipolar disorder and neuroinflammation

Astrocytes, which provide structural support and protection for neurons and also supply them with nutrients and oxygen. Bipolar disorder (BPD) is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. In the United States, recent research has shown that 1.6% of the population … Continue reading Study shows connection between bipolar disorder and neuroinflammation

A little history in the making by helping the tiniest patients

Dr. Diana Farmer stands with Dr. Aijun Wang and their UC Davis research team. It’s appropriate that at the start of Women’s History Month, UC Davis’ Dr. Diana Farmer is making a little history of her own. She launched the world’s first clinical trial using stem cells to treat spina bifida before the child is … Continue reading A little history in the making by helping the tiniest patients

Stem cell gene therapy for Fabry disease shows positive results in patients

Darren Bidulka rests after his modified blood stem cells were transplanted into him at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary in 2017, allowing him to stop his enzyme therapy. (From left): Dr. Jeffrey Medin, Medical College of Wisconsin, Dr. Aneal Khan, the experimental trial lead in Calgary, and Darren Bidulka. Image Credit: Darren Bidulka Fabry … Continue reading Stem cell gene therapy for Fabry disease shows positive results in patients

A word from our Chair, several in fact

In 2005, the New Oxford American Dictionary named “podcast" its word of the year. At the time a podcast was something many had heard of but not that many actually tuned in to. My how times have changed. Now there are some two million podcasts to chose from, at least according to the New York … Continue reading A word from our Chair, several in fact

Scientists look at how the lung and brain respond differently to SARS-CoV-2 infection

UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers found approximately 10-fold higher SARS-CoV-2 infection (green) in lung organoids (left), compared to brain organoids (right). Image courtesy of UCSD Health Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic early last year, scientists all over the world are still trying to better understand SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. … Continue reading Scientists look at how the lung and brain respond differently to SARS-CoV-2 infection

Charting a course for the future

A new home for stem cell research? Have you ever been at a party where someone says “hey, I’ve got a good idea” and then before you know it everyone in the room is adding to it with ideas and suggestions of their own and suddenly you find yourself with 27 pages of notes, all … Continue reading Charting a course for the future

Unlocking a key behind why our bones get weaker as we age

Magnified image of a bone with osteoporosis. Photo Courtesy Sciencephoto.com Getting older brings with it a mixed bag of items. If you are lucky you can get wiser. If you are not so lucky you can get osteoporosis. But while scientists don’t know how to make you wiser, they have gained some new insights into … Continue reading Unlocking a key behind why our bones get weaker as we age

U.C. San Diego Scientist Larry Goldstein Joins Stem Cell Agency’s Board

Larry Goldstein, PhD. Larry Goldstein PhD, has many titles, one of which sums up his career perfectly, “Distinguished Professor”. Dr. Goldstein has distinguished himself on many fronts, making him an ideal addition to the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Dr. Goldstein – everyone calls him Larry - is a Cell … Continue reading U.C. San Diego Scientist Larry Goldstein Joins Stem Cell Agency’s Board

UCSF Nursing Professor Joins CIRM Board

Elena Flowers, PhD, RN, newest member of the CIRM Board: Photo courtesy UCSF Elena Flowers, PhD, RN, an associate professor of physiological nursing at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is joining the Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state’s Stem Cell Agency. Dr. Flowers was appointed to the Board … Continue reading UCSF Nursing Professor Joins CIRM Board