The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is proud to announce the allocation of $26 million to support clinical research targeting a range of cancers, heart conditions, and rare diseases. This significant funding underscores CIRM’s commitment to advancing innovative stem cell and gene therapy-based treatments through all stages of clinical trial development. This latest round … Continue reading CIRM awards $26 million to boost clinical trials for cancer, heart, and rare diseases
Sickle cell disease
Tackling sickle cell disease from within
Photo Credit: Jaquell Chandler Evie Junior was born with sickle cell disease, a life-threatening condition that affects around 100,000 Americans, most of them Black and Latino. People with sickle cell disease have blood cells that are shaped like a hook (or sickle) rather than smooth and round, which can create clogs, causing intense pain, organ … Continue reading Tackling sickle cell disease from within
State agency launches ‘Championing Change for Sickle Cell in California’ campaign
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), established by the voters of California, is accelerating research and awareness of Sickle Cell Disease. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), one of the world’s largest institutions dedicated to regenerative medicine, is proud to announce the launch of "Championing Change for Sickle Cell in California,” a pioneering … Continue reading State agency launches ‘Championing Change for Sickle Cell in California’ campaign
Celebrating Black Joy and Spreading Awareness
The streets of Oakland were alive with vibrant colors, infectious energy, and a powerful sense of community as the 2024 Black Joy Parade took center stage on Sunday, February 25. Black Joy Parade-goers with colorful noisemakers walking down Franklin and 19th St. The Black Joy Parade is a yearly celebration of the Black community and … Continue reading Celebrating Black Joy and Spreading Awareness
Statement from CIRM on the FDA Approval of Gene Therapies for Sickle Cell Disease
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) applauds and acknowledges the historic significance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Vertex and CRISPR Therapeutics’ CRISPR-based gene therapy (Casgevy) for sickle cell disease. As the first regulatory authorization of a CRISPR-based gene editing therapy in the world, this brings forth a new era of treatment options … Continue reading Statement from CIRM on the FDA Approval of Gene Therapies for Sickle Cell Disease
Join the movement to fight rare diseases
Tomorrow, February 28th, is Rare Disease Day. It’s a day to remind ourselves of the millions of people, and their families, struggling with these diseases. These conditions are also called orphan diseases because, in many cases, drug companies were not interested in adopting them to develop treatments. Here at the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), we … Continue reading Join the movement to fight rare diseases
Fast Track Designation for a therapy making transplants safer for children with a fatal immune disorder
Bone marrow transplant For children born with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) life can be very challenging. SCID means they have no functioning immune system, so even a simple infection can prove life threatening. Left untreated, children with SCID often die in the first few years of life. There are stem cell/gene therapies funded by the … Continue reading Fast Track Designation for a therapy making transplants safer for children with a fatal immune disorder
The race to cure sickle cell disease
September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, a time to refocus our efforts to find new treatments, even a cure, for people with sickle cell disease. Until we get those, CIRM remains committed to doing everything we can to reduce the stigma and bias that surrounds it. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a rare, inherited … Continue reading The race to cure sickle cell disease
Can regenerative medicine turn back the clock on aging?
One of my favorite phrases is “standing room only”. I got a chance to use it last week when we held a panel discussion on whether regenerative medicine could turn back the clock on aging. The event was at the annual conference of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) and more than 150 … Continue reading Can regenerative medicine turn back the clock on aging?
Two reasons to remember June 19th
Today marks two significant events for the Black community. June 19th is celebrated as Juneteenth, the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure that the enslaved people there were free. That moment came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law. June 19th is also … Continue reading Two reasons to remember June 19th
The Stem Cellar 