Every day I field phone calls and emails from people looking for a stem cell therapy to help them cope with everything from arthritis to cancer. Often, they will mention that they saw an ad for a clinic online or in a local newspaper claiming they had stem cell therapies that could help fix anything … Continue reading Why people seek out unproven and potentially unsafe stem cell treatments
Sports Medicine
Two Early-Stage Research Programs Targeting Cartilage Damage Get Funding from Stem Cell Agency
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Darryl D'Lima: Scripps Health Every year millions of Americans suffer damage to their cartilage, either in their knee or other joints, that can eventually lead to osteoarthritis, pain and immobility. Today the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) approved two projects targeting … Continue reading Two Early-Stage Research Programs Targeting Cartilage Damage Get Funding from Stem Cell Agency
Some good news for people with dodgy knees
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIOCAST Graphic contrasting a healthy knee with one that has osteoarthritis About 10% of Americans suffer from knee osteoarthritis, a painful condition that can really impair mobility and quality of life. It's often caused by an injury to cartilage, say when you were playing sports in high school … Continue reading Some good news for people with dodgy knees
Could revving up stem cells help senior citizens heal as fast as high school seniors?
All physicians, especially surgeons, sport medicine doctors, and military medical corps share a similar wish: to able to speed up the healing process for their patients’ incisions and injuries. Data published this week in Cell Reports may one day fulfill that wish. The study – reported by a Stanford University research team – pinpoints a single … Continue reading Could revving up stem cells help senior citizens heal as fast as high school seniors?
A horse, stem cells and an inspiring comeback story that may revolutionize tendon repair
Everyone loves a good comeback story. Probably because it leaves us feeling inspired and full of hope. But the comeback story about a horse named Dream Alliance may do more than that: his experience promises to help people with Achilles tendon injuries get fully healed and back on their feet more quickly. Dream Alliance was … Continue reading A horse, stem cells and an inspiring comeback story that may revolutionize tendon repair
Stem cell stories that caught our eye; viral genes in embryos, underuse of transplants and joint pain clinics
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. Ancient viral invaders help make us, us. The cells of our ancestors millions of years ago may have found a way to turn viral invasion … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye; viral genes in embryos, underuse of transplants and joint pain clinics
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: new ways to reprogram, shifting attitudes on tissue donation, and hockey legend’s miracle questioned
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. Insulin-producing cells produced from skin. Starting with human skin cells a team at the University of Iowa has created iPS-type stem cells through genetic reprogramming … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: new ways to reprogram, shifting attitudes on tissue donation, and hockey legend’s miracle questioned
Scientists Send Rodents to Space; Test New Therapy to Prevent Bone Loss
In just a few months, 40 very special rodents will embark upon the journey of a lifetime. Today UCLA scientists are announcing the start of a project that will test a new therapy that has the potential to slow, halt or even reverse bone loss due to disease or injury. With grant funding from the … Continue reading Scientists Send Rodents to Space; Test New Therapy to Prevent Bone Loss
A Christmas miracle or untested therapy? Why even feel-good stem cell stories need to be checked for accuracy
We’ve written several pieces over the last couple of years about the trend for professional athletes to turn to untested and/or unproven stem cell therapies to help them bounce back from injuries. This week, however, came news of something a little more worrying. Ice hockey legend Gordie Howe was given stem cells to help him … Continue reading A Christmas miracle or untested therapy? Why even feel-good stem cell stories need to be checked for accuracy
Stem cells and professional sports: a call for more science and less speculation
In the world of professional sports, teams invest tens of millions of dollars in players. Those players are under intense pressure to show a return on that investment for the team, and that means playing as hard as possible for as long as possible. So it’s no surprise that players facing serious injuries will often … Continue reading Stem cells and professional sports: a call for more science and less speculation
The Stem Cellar 