Google eases ban on ads for stem cell therapies

What started out as an effort by Google to crack down on predatory stem cell clinics advertising bogus therapies seems to be getting diluted. Now the concern is whether that will make it easier for these clinics to lure unsuspecting patients to pay good money for bad treatments? A little background might help here. For … Continue reading Google eases ban on ads for stem cell therapies

The bootcamp helping in the fight against rare diseases

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Dr. Emil Kakkis at the Rare Entrepreneur Bootcamp Imagine you or someone you love is diagnosed with a rare disease and then told, “There is no cure, there are no treatments and because it’s so rare no one is even doing any research into developing a … Continue reading The bootcamp helping in the fight against rare diseases

Stem cell-derived retinal patch continues to show promising results two years post-implantation

Earlier this year we wrote about the promising results of a phase 1 clinical trial aimed at replacing the deteriorating cells in the retinas of people suffering from age-related macular degeneration- one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide for people over 50. Now there’s even more good news! Highlighted in a news story on … Continue reading Stem cell-derived retinal patch continues to show promising results two years post-implantation

Chance discovery could lead to a treatment for skin ulcers

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Dr. Antoni Ribas in his research lab on the UCLA Campus: Photo courtesy Ann Johansson When UCLA's Dr. Antoni Ribas was researching a potential therapy for melanoma, a form of skin cancer, he stumbled upon something unexpected. That unexpected discovery has now resulted in him getting … Continue reading Chance discovery could lead to a treatment for skin ulcers

Promoting stem cell therapies, racial justice, and fish breeding

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Jan Nolta, PhD, in her lab at UC Davis; Photo courtesy UC Davis Working at CIRM, you get to meet many remarkable people, and Jan Nolta, PhD, certainly falls into that category. Jan is the Director of the Stem Cell Program at UC Davis School of Medicine. She … Continue reading Promoting stem cell therapies, racial justice, and fish breeding

HOPE for patients with a muscle destroying disease

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Caleb Sizemore, photo by Todd Dubnicoff Caleb Sizemore says growing up with Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) was tough. The disease is a rare genetic disorder that slowly destroys a person’s muscles, impairing their ability to walk or breathe. Eventually it attacks the heart leading to premature … Continue reading HOPE for patients with a muscle destroying disease

Stem Cell Agency Hires New Vice President of Medical Affairs & Policy

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Dr. Sean Turbeville Sean Turbeville PhD. is joining the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) as the Vice President of Medical Affairs and Policy. Dr. Turbeville has almost 20 years of experience in Medical Affairs, creating strategies and teams for biopharma and digital healthcare companies. He … Continue reading Stem Cell Agency Hires New Vice President of Medical Affairs & Policy

Joining the movement to fight rare diseases

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST It’s hard to think of something as being rare when it affects up to 30 million Americans and 300 million people worldwide. But the truth is there are more than 6,000 conditions – those affecting 200,000 people or fewer – that are considered rare.   Today, … Continue reading Joining the movement to fight rare diseases

Stem Cell Agency Board Approves Funding for Rare Immune Disorder

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Taylor Lookofsky (center), a person with IPEX syndrome, with his father Brian and Dr. Rosa Bacchetta IPEX syndrome is a rare condition where the body can’t control or restrain an immune response, so the person’s immune cells attack their own healthy tissue. The syndrome mostly affects … Continue reading Stem Cell Agency Board Approves Funding for Rare Immune Disorder

CIRM-supported therapy for blood cancers gets FDA fast track

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST People often complain about how long it can take to turn a scientific discovery into an approved therapy for patients. And they’re right. It can take years, decades even. But for Immune-Onc Therapeutics the path to FDA approval may just have been shortened. Back in April … Continue reading CIRM-supported therapy for blood cancers gets FDA fast track