How small talk led to a big break; a summer internship at CIRM

At CIRM, California's Stem Cell Agency, we are fortunate to work with some amazing people. This summer we added another name that list when Melissa Cairos joined us for an internship. Melissa is now on to the next part of her adventure, as a policy wonk in Washington DC., but before she left we asked … Continue reading How small talk led to a big break; a summer internship at CIRM

Has Regenerative Medicine Come of Age?

For the past few years the Signals blog site -  which offers an insiders’ perspectives on the world of regenerative medicine and stem cell research - has hosted what it calls a "Blog Carnival". This is an event where bloggers from across the stem cell field are invited to submit a piece based on a … Continue reading Has Regenerative Medicine Come of Age?

Join us tomorrow at noon for “Ask the Stem Cell Team about Sickle Cell Disease”, a FaceBook Live Event

As an early kick off to National Sickle Cell Awareness Month – which falls in September every year – CIRM is hosting a “Ask the Stem Cell Team” FaceBook Live event tomorrow, August 28th, from noon to 1pm (PDT). The live broadcast will feature two scientists and a patient advocate who are working hard to … Continue reading Join us tomorrow at noon for “Ask the Stem Cell Team about Sickle Cell Disease”, a FaceBook Live Event

A brief history of the Stem Cell Agency

On Wednesday, August 15 the California State Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology held an informational hearing on CIRM as part of its mission of ensuring the legislature is up to date and informed about the biotech industry in California. The committee heard from CIRM’s President and CEO Dr. Maria T. Millan and the Vice Chair … Continue reading A brief history of the Stem Cell Agency

What makes an expert an expert?

When we launched our Facebook Live “Ask the Expert” series earlier this year we wanted to create an opportunity for people to hear from and question experts about specific diseases or disorders. The experts we turned to were medical ones, neurologists and neuroscientists in the case of the first two Facebook Live events, stroke and … Continue reading What makes an expert an expert?

CIRM-supported study shows promise in fighting acute myeloid leukemia

For years chemotherapy has been a mainstay in the war against cancer. While it can be very effective it can also come with some nasty side effects. Since chemo works by killing rapidly growing cells, it not only hits the cancer cells, but can also hit other rapidly growing cells too, including those in our … Continue reading CIRM-supported study shows promise in fighting acute myeloid leukemia

ALS is in the spotlight in CIRM’s “Ask the Expert About ALS & Stem Cells” Facebook Live event

American Football great Dwight Clark was renowned for having the safest hands in the game when he played for the San Francisco 49ers. But in September 2015 he was diagnosed with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) after not being able to use those hands to open a package of sugar. Less than three … Continue reading ALS is in the spotlight in CIRM’s “Ask the Expert About ALS & Stem Cells” Facebook Live event

Stem Cell Roundup: Artificial Embryos to Study Miscarriage and ALS Insight – Muscle Repair Cells Go Rogue

Stem Cell Image of the Week: Artificial embryos for studying miscarriage (Adonica Shaw) This week's stem cell image of the week comes from a team of researchers from The University of Cambridge who published research in Nature Cell Biology earlier this week indicating they’d achieved a breakthrough in stem cell research that resulted in the generation … Continue reading Stem Cell Roundup: Artificial Embryos to Study Miscarriage and ALS Insight – Muscle Repair Cells Go Rogue

Stem cell therapy offers a glimpse of hope for a student battling a deadly cancer

“About a week later they gave me a call and mentioned the word ‘cancer’ to me. For a long time, I was depressed and then, I guess you accept it and try to make the most out of the time you have now.’ That is not something you expect to hear from a 24 year … Continue reading Stem cell therapy offers a glimpse of hope for a student battling a deadly cancer

Research Targeting Prostate Cancer Gets Almost $4 Million Support from CIRM

A program hoping to supercharge a patient’s own immune system cells to attack and kill a treatment resistant form of prostate cancer was today awarded $3.99 million by the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) In the U.S., prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in men.  … Continue reading Research Targeting Prostate Cancer Gets Almost $4 Million Support from CIRM