Dr. Deborah Deas is clearly not someone who opts for the quiet life. If she were, she would have stayed home in Adams Run, the tiny town in rural South Carolina where she was born. The website, NeighborhoodScout.com describes Adams Run (current population 1,492) as: “One of the quietest neighborhoods in America. When you are … Continue reading Dr. Deborah Deas joins CIRM Board
CIRM News
Young Minds Shine Bright at the CIRM SPARK Conference
Yesterday was one of the most exciting and inspiring days I’ve had at CIRM since I joined the agency one year ago. We hosted the CIRM SPARK conference which brought together fifty-five high school students from across California to present their stem cell research from their summer internships. The day was a celebration of their … Continue reading Young Minds Shine Bright at the CIRM SPARK Conference
Stem cells maturing into nerve produce a compound that speeds the process
Getting pluripotent stem cells—those early stage stem cells that can make any tissue—to actually make the cell type you want can be quite tricky. I have written before that it takes a village to raise a stem cell because they respond to everything around them from the physical pressure and rigidity of their environment to … Continue reading Stem cells maturing into nerve produce a compound that speeds the process
Tunable hydrogels guide stem cell differentiation
Differentiating stem cells into mature cells of adult tissue involves many intricate steps to get them to develop into the right cell types. You could compare the process to the careful adjustments you make when tuning a guitar. In the body, stem cells receive cues from their surrounding environment to mature into specific types of … Continue reading Tunable hydrogels guide stem cell differentiation
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: turning on T cells; fixing our brains; progress and trends in stem cells; and one young man’s journey to recover from a devastating injury
A healthy T cell 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. Directing the creation of T cells. To paraphrase the GOP Presidential nominee, any sane person LOVES, LOVES LOVES their T cells, … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: turning on T cells; fixing our brains; progress and trends in stem cells; and one young man’s journey to recover from a devastating injury
CIRM Board targets diabetes and kidney disease with big stem cell research awards
A recent study estimated there may be more than 500 million people worldwide who have diabetes. That’s an astounding figure and makes diabetes one of the largest chronic disease epidemics in human history. One of the most serious consequences of untreated or uncontrolled diabetes is kidney damage. That can lead to fatigue, weakness, confusion, kidney … Continue reading CIRM Board targets diabetes and kidney disease with big stem cell research awards
CIRM-funded stem cell clinical trial for retinitis pigmentosa focuses on next stage
How retinitis pigmentosa erodes normal vision The failure rate for clinical trials is depressingly high. A study from Tufts University in 2010 found that for small molecules – the substances that make up more than 90 percent of the drugs on the market today – the odds of getting from a Phase 1 trial to … Continue reading CIRM-funded stem cell clinical trial for retinitis pigmentosa focuses on next stage
California high schoolers SPARK interest in stem cell research through social media
I have a job for you today and it’s a fun one. Open your Instagram app on your phone. If you’re not an Instagrammer, don’t worry, you can access the website on your computer. Do you have it open? OK now type in the hashtag #CIRMSparkLab and click on it. What you’ll find is around … Continue reading California high schoolers SPARK interest in stem cell research through social media
Stem cell transplant offers Jake a glimpse of hope
Jake Javier surrounded by friends; Photo courtesy Julie Haener KTVU On Thursday, July 7th, Jake Javier became the latest member of a very select group. Jake underwent a stem cell transplant for a spinal cord injury at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center here in the San Francisco Bay Area. The therapy is part of the … Continue reading Stem cell transplant offers Jake a glimpse of hope
Salk Scientists Unlock New Secrets of Autism Using Human Stem Cells
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder whose mental, physical, social and emotional symptoms are highly variable from person to person. Because individuals exhibit different combinations and severities of symptoms, the concept of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is now used to define the range of conditions. There are many hypotheses for why autism occurs in humans … Continue reading Salk Scientists Unlock New Secrets of Autism Using Human Stem Cells
The Stem Cellar 