Some of the stars of our Annual Report It’s been a long time coming. Eighteen months to be precise. Which is a peculiarly long time for an Annual Report. The world is certainly a very different place today than when we started, and yet our core mission hasn’t changed at all, except to spring into … Continue reading Perseverance: from theory to therapy. Our story over the last year – and a half
Rare Diseases
A new voice and vision added to CIRM Board
UC Davis School of Medicine Dean, Dr. Allison Brashear: Photo courtesy UCD We have a new member on the CIRM Board – Dr. Allison Brashear is the Dean of the UC Davis School of Medicine, overseeing one of the nation’s top research, academic and medical training institutions. Dr. Brashear is an internationally known researcher in … Continue reading A new voice and vision added to CIRM Board
Cord blood transplants help children fighting deadly diseases
Dr. Paul Szabolcs: Photo courtesy of UPMC A simple blood stem cell transplant is showing tremendous promise in treating a wide range of metabolic, blood and immune disorders such as thalassemia and some leukodystrophies. These are considered rare diseases – meaning there are fewer than 200,000 people with them in the US – so there … Continue reading Cord blood transplants help children fighting deadly diseases
A Tribute to Huntington’s Disease Warriors in the Age of COVID-19
Frances Saldana is one of the most remarkable women I know. She has lost all three of her children to Huntington's disease (HD) - a nasty, fatal disease that steadily destroys the nerve cells in the brain - but still retains a fighting spirit and a commitment to finding a cure for HD. She is … Continue reading A Tribute to Huntington’s Disease Warriors in the Age of COVID-19
A clear vision for the future
Dr. Henry Klassen and Dr. Jing Yang, founders of jCyte When you have worked with a group of people over many years the relationship becomes more than just a business venture, it becomes personal. That's certainly the case with jCyte, a company founded by Drs. Henry Klassen and Jing Yang, aimed at finding a cure … Continue reading A clear vision for the future
Living proof science can find a cure
Like many kids, let’s face it, many adults too, Ronav “Ronnie” Kashyap is getting a little bored stuck inside all day during the coronavirus pandemic. This video, shot by his dad Pawash, shows Ronnie trying to amuse himself by pretending to be hard at work. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_BSQaonFXb/ It’s a lovely moment. It’s also a moment that … Continue reading Living proof science can find a cure
CIRM-funded treatment for Cystinosis receives orphan drug designation
Dr. Stephanie Cherqui, UC San Diego Orphan drug designation is a special status given by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for potential treatments of rare diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 in the U.S. This type of status can significantly help advance treatments for rare diseases by providing financial incentives in the form of … Continue reading CIRM-funded treatment for Cystinosis receives orphan drug designation
Stem cell transplant in utero offers potential treatment for congenital diseases
Dr. Tippi Mackenzie, UCSFImage Credit: UCSF Each year, around 24,000 women in the US lose a pregnancy. One reason for this unfortunate occurrence are metabolic disorders, one of which is known as Sly syndrome and is caused by a single genetic mutation. In Sly syndrome, the body's cells lack an enzyme necessary for proper cell … Continue reading Stem cell transplant in utero offers potential treatment for congenital diseases
CIRM Board Meeting Highlights Important Updates to Clinical Trials
Dr. Maria T. Millan, President and CEO of CIRM, presenting the President's Report This past Thursday the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) were presented with an update on CIRM’s clinical portfolio, which to date includes 60 clinical trials in various areas including kidney failure, cancer, and other rare diseases. The … Continue reading CIRM Board Meeting Highlights Important Updates to Clinical Trials
‘A Tornado at the Front Door, a Tsunami at the Back Door’
CIRM funds a lot of research and all of it has life-saving potential. But every once in a while you come across a story about someone benefiting from CIRM-supported research that highlights why the work we do is so important. This story is about a brilliant researcher at UC San Diego developing a treatment for … Continue reading ‘A Tornado at the Front Door, a Tsunami at the Back Door’
The Stem Cellar 