We often talk about the important role that patient advocates play in helping advance research. That was demonstrated in a powerful way last week when the CIRM Board approved almost $12 million to fund a clinical trial targeting a rare childhood disorder called cystinosis. The award, to Stephanie Cherqui and her team at UC San … Continue reading “A new awakening”: One patient advocate’s fight for her daughters life
News
Seeing is believing: A new tool to help us learn about stem cells.
Cave paintings from Libya: evidence humans communicated through visual images long before they created text There’s a large body of research that shows that many people learn better through visuals. Studies show that much of the sensory cortex in our brain is devoted to vision so our brains use images rather than text to make … Continue reading Seeing is believing: A new tool to help us learn about stem cells.
Taking the message to the people: fighting for the future of stem cell research in California
Stem cells have been in the news a lot this week, and not necessarily for the right reason. First, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) won a big legal decision in its fight to crack down on clinics offering bogus, unproven and unapproved stem cell therapies. William Shatner: Photograph by Jerry Avenaim.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3413082 But then … Continue reading Taking the message to the people: fighting for the future of stem cell research in California
Media matters in spreading the word
Cover of New Yorker article on "The Birth Tissue Profiteers". Illustration by Ben Jones When you have a great story to tell the best and most effective way to get it out to the widest audience is still the media, both traditional mainstream and new social media. Recently we have seen three great examples of … Continue reading Media matters in spreading the word
CIRM public events highlight uncertain future of stem cell research
When governments cut funding for scientific research the consequences can be swift, and painful. In Canada last week for example, the government of Ontario cut $5 million in annual funding for stem cell research, effectively ending a project developing a therapy to heal the damaged lungs of premature babies. Here in the US the federal … Continue reading CIRM public events highlight uncertain future of stem cell research
Stories that caught our eye: FDA grants orphan drug status to CIRM-funded therapy; stunning discovery upends ideas of cell formation; and how tadpoles grow new tails
Gut busting discovery Intestinal stem cells: Photo courtesy Klaus Kaestner, Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine It’s not often you read the word “sensational” in a news release about stem cells. But this week researchers at the University of Copenhagen released findings that are overturning long-held ideas about the development of cells in our stomachs. So … Continue reading Stories that caught our eye: FDA grants orphan drug status to CIRM-funded therapy; stunning discovery upends ideas of cell formation; and how tadpoles grow new tails
CIRM-funded study helps unlock some of the genetic secrets behind macular degeneration
Retina affected by age-related macular degeneration Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 60. It affects 10 million Americans. That’s more than cataracts and glaucoma combined. The causes of AMD are not known but are believed to involve a mixture of hereditary and environmental factors. There is no … Continue reading CIRM-funded study helps unlock some of the genetic secrets behind macular degeneration
The Past, the Present, and the Uncertain Future of Stem Cell Research
Ronnie, a boy who was born without a functioning immune system but who is thriving today because of CIRM funded research When CIRM was created in 2004 the field of stem cell research was still very much in its infancy. Fast forward 15 years and it’s moving ahead at a rapid pace, probably faster than … Continue reading The Past, the Present, and the Uncertain Future of Stem Cell Research
One year later, spinal cord therapy still looks promising
Jake Javier - participant in the SCIStar study The beginning of a clinical trial, particularly the first time a new therapy is being tested in people, is often a time of equal parts anticipation and nervousness. Anticipation, because you have been working to this point for many years. Nervousness, because you have never tested this … Continue reading One year later, spinal cord therapy still looks promising
Advancing stem cell research in many ways
Speakers at the Alpha Stem Cell Clinics Network Symposium: Photo by Marco Sanchez From Day One CIRM’s goal has been to advance stem cell research in California. We don’t do that just by funding the most promising research -though the 51 clinical trials we have funded to date clearly shows we do that rather well … Continue reading Advancing stem cell research in many ways
The Stem Cellar 