Hope is such a fragile thing. We cling to it in bad times. It offers us a sense that we can bear whatever hardships we are facing today, and that tomorrow will be better. Kris Boesen knows all about holding on to hope during bad times. On March 6th of this year he was left … Continue reading Young man with spinal cord injury regains use of hands and arms after stem cell therapy
News
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: functioning liver tissue, making new bone, stem cells and mental health
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. Functioning liver tissue. Scientists are looking to stem cells as a potential alternative treatment to liver transplantation for patients with end-stage liver disease. Efforts are … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: functioning liver tissue, making new bone, stem cells and mental health
Clearing the first hurdle: spinal cord injury trial passes safety review
Starting a clinical trial is like taking a step into the unknown. It’s moving a potential therapy out of the lab and testing it in people. To reach this point the researchers have done a lot of work trying to ensure the therapy is safe. But that work was done in the lab, and on … Continue reading Clearing the first hurdle: spinal cord injury trial passes safety review
Seeing is believing: how some scientists – including two funded by CIRM – are working to help the blind see
“A pale hue”. For most of us that is a simple description, an observation about color. For Kristin Macdonald it’s a glimpse of the future. In some ways it’s a miracle. Kristin lost her sight to retinitis pigmentosa (RP). For many years she was virtually blind. But now, thanks to a clinical trial funded by … Continue reading Seeing is believing: how some scientists – including two funded by CIRM – are working to help the blind see
A look back at the last year – but with our eyes firmly on the future
Better. With that single word Randy Mills, our President and CEO, starts and ends his letter in our 2015 Annual Report and lays out the simple principle that guides the way we work at CIRM. Better. But better what? “Better infrastructure to translate early stage ideas into groundbreaking clinical trials. Better regulatory practices to advance … Continue reading A look back at the last year – but with our eyes firmly on the future
Here’s a new gene editing strategy to treat genetic blood disorders
If you’re taking a road trip across the country, you have a starting point and an ending point. How you go from point A to point B could be one of a million different routes, but the ultimate outcome is the same: reaching your final destination. Yesterday scientists from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital published … Continue reading Here’s a new gene editing strategy to treat genetic blood disorders
Dr. Deborah Deas joins CIRM Board
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
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
Fujifilm is Expanding Its Focus to Regenerative Medicine
Fujifilm began as a photography company, but today is a well-known multinational imaging and information technology corporation. More recently, it’s expanded its focus (pun intended) on developing innovative technologies in the healthcare and regenerative medicine space. The news that Fujifilm was expanding into regenerative medicine was surprising to some given the company’s expertise in areas … Continue reading Fujifilm is Expanding Its Focus to Regenerative Medicine
Unlocking the secrets of how stem cells decide what kind of cell they’re going to be
Before joining CIRM I thought OCT4 was a date on the calendar. But a new study says it may be a lot closer to a date with destiny, because this study says OCT4 helps determine what kinds of cell a stem cell will become. Now, before we go any further I should explain for people … Continue reading Unlocking the secrets of how stem cells decide what kind of cell they’re going to be
The Stem Cellar 