Maria Gonzalez Bonneville is dedicated to improving health in California through her roles at the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Since joining in 2011, she focuses on making therapies accessible and affordable. Her personal connection to Parkinson's disease drives her mission, alongside her extensive political and scientific expertise.
Features
Closer to Cures: Diana Farmer discusses clinical trials for spina bifida
written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) helped fund a clinical trial that involved an experimental stem cell treatment for a frequently paralyzing form of spina bifida. Today, several of those babies are now able to walk and run unassisted.Babies with severe spina bifida are often treated with surgery after … Continue reading Closer to Cures: Diana Farmer discusses clinical trials for spina bifida
CIRM fundedย clinicalย trialย givesย siblingsย a second chance at life
written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Image Credit: The Langenhop Family Alicia Langenhop was seven months pregnant with her third child when she and her husband, Jon, learned that their two toddlers had a life-threatening immune disease called leukocyte adhesion deficiency-1 (LAD-1).ย One in a million Theย odds of being born with LAD-1ย areย rare,ย literally one-in-a-million,ย but the disease is … Continue reading CIRM fundedย clinicalย trialย givesย siblingsย a second chance at life
Stanford researcher Crystal Mackall discusses progress on rare cancers clinical trials
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick In 2023, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) funded a clinical trial led by Stanford researcher Crystal Mackall, MD, to investigate a possible therapy for rare brain and spinal tumors. Devastating cancers These cancers, that arise from a specific genetic mutation, known as H3K27M, are devastating. Each year, about … Continue reading Stanford researcher Crystal Mackall discusses progress on rare cancers clinical trials
Cory R. Nicholas shares update on epilepsy clinical trials
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Cory R. Nicholas presenting at the January 29 ICOC board meeting Roughly 3 million adultsย living in theย United States have epilepsy, and about 400,000 of these peopleย liveย inย California, according to the CDC.ย Of these people,ย aboutย one-third toย halfย continue to have seizures that do notย respondย to medications on theย market. Hope for those with epilepsy Itโsย those patients whoย donโtย respond … Continue reading Cory R. Nicholas shares update on epilepsy clinical trials
Early-stage research could benefit those with genetic diseases
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Image Credit: Audrey Davidow๏ผCalvin outside Wanting the best for your child is a universal experience, and Audrey Davidow wanted her baby to have a bright future full of possibility. But in March of 2012, her 13-month-old son Calvin was diagnosed with a rare disease called Pitt Hopkins Syndrome, and she … Continue reading Early-stage research could benefit those with genetic diseases
A life of service: A conversation with CIRM Board Chair Vito Imbasciani
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick If you ask Vito Imbasciani to tell you about his career, you wonโt get a simple answer, but you will get a great story about service, both to his country and the people of California. Imbasciani, PhD, MD, FACS, Colonel (ret.), is the chair of the board for the California … Continue reading A life of service: A conversation with CIRM Board Chair Vito Imbasciani
A conversation with CIRM board member Yael Wyte
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Yael Wyte knows all too well how difficult it can be to have or care for someone with Alzheimerโs Diseaseโshe has been working with and advocating for people with Alzheimer's Disease for more than 20 years. Earlier this year, Wyte joined the board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine … Continue reading A conversation with CIRM board member Yael Wyte
โAn awesome responsibilityโ: A conversation with CIRM board member Kim Barrett
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Itโs not every day that you get to contribute to something that could help save a life, but when Kim Barrett joined the board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), thatโs exactly what happened. Barrett is a research physiologist. For 36 years she studied the cells of the … Continue reading โAn awesome responsibilityโ: A conversation with CIRM board member Kim Barrett
CIRM COMPASS scholar Maya Singh shares how the program helped paved the way for her career as a physician
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Image Credit: Maya Singh Many paths can lead to a career as a physician. For undergraduate Maya Singh, the road to becoming a doctor begins at a laboratory bench in the University of California, Berkeley. โI believe that being a part of research is a huge step toward being a … Continue reading CIRM COMPASS scholar Maya Singh shares how the program helped paved the way for her career as a physician