Dr. Xinnan Wang, a neurosurgeon and author of a study that has identified a molecular pathway apparently responsible for the death of dopaminergic neurons that causes the symptoms of Parkinson's. Of the various neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson's is the second most common and affects 35 million people world wide. It is caused by the gradual breakdown of … Continue reading CIRM-funded Stanford study finds potential diagnostic tool, treatment for Parkinson’s
Disease Areas
Engineered T cells made from stem cells could provide immunity against multiple cancers
Dr. Lily Yang Within all of our bodies there is a special type of "super" immune cell that holds enormous potential. Unlike regular immune cells that can only attack one cancer at a time, these "super" immune cells have the ability to target many types of cancers at once. These specialized cells are known as … Continue reading Engineered T cells made from stem cells could provide immunity against multiple cancers
Scientists at USC untangle the mysteries of cellular reprogramming- a method that could be used to treat diseases
Dr. Justin Ichida, Assistant Professor at USC and lead author of the study Scientists have long tried to repurpose cells in order to potentially treat various types of conditions. This process, called reprogramming, involves changing one type of cell into another, such as a blood cell into a muscle cell or nerve cell. Although the … Continue reading Scientists at USC untangle the mysteries of cellular reprogramming- a method that could be used to treat diseases
Stem cell treatment restores man’s sight in right eye after 25 years
James O'Brien, recipient of a stem cell treatment that restored the vision in his right eye At 18 years old, there are several life-changing moments that young people look forward to. For some, it involves graduating from high school, starting college, and being able to cast a vote in an election. For others, this momentous … Continue reading Stem cell treatment restores man’s sight in right eye after 25 years
Moving a great idea targeting diabetes out of the lab and into a company
Tejal Desai in her lab at UCSF: Photo courtesy Todd Dubnicoff It’s always gratifying to see research you have helped support go from being an intriguing idea to something with promise to a product that is now the focus of a company. It’s all the more gratifying if the product in question might one day … Continue reading Moving a great idea targeting diabetes out of the lab and into a company
“Brains” in a dish that can create electrical impulses
Brain organoids in a petri dish: photo courtesy UCSD For several years, researchers have been able to take stem cells and use them to make three dimensional structures called organoids. These are a kind of mini organ that scientists can then use to study what happens in the real thing. For example, creating kidney organoids … Continue reading “Brains” in a dish that can create electrical impulses
Bridges to the Future: 10 Years and Counting!
Bridges conference 2019 When Californians voted for Proposition 71 in 2004, they were investing in hope… the hope that unraveling the mysteries of stem cells could lead to new types of treatments and perhaps one day, even cures for some of the most devastating illnesses and injuries known to mankind. Making this hope a reality, … Continue reading Bridges to the Future: 10 Years and Counting!
CIRM board member Lauren Miller Rogen appointed to California Alzheimer’s Task Force
Lauren Miller Rogen, Hilarity for Charity co-founder and CIRM Board Member California has the largest aging population in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau has estimated that one in five Californians will be 65 or older by the year 2030. Unfortunately with age comes a wide of health related issues that can arise such … Continue reading CIRM board member Lauren Miller Rogen appointed to California Alzheimer’s Task Force
A future scientist’s journey
All this week we have been highlighting blogs from our SPARK (Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative medicine Knowledge) students. SPARK gives high school students a chance to spend their summer working in a world class stem cell research facility here in California. In return they write about their experiences and what they learned. The standard … Continue reading A future scientist’s journey
Time and money and advancing stem cell research
The human genome Way back in the 1990’s scientists were hard at work decoding the human genome, trying to map and understand all the genes that make up people. At the time there was a sense of hope, a feeling that once we had decoded the genome, we’d have cures for all sorts of things … Continue reading Time and money and advancing stem cell research
The Stem Cellar 