Having a mission like CIRM’s, which calls on us to develop therapies for unmet medical needs, clearly means we cannot sit back and marvel at all the great projects we have in the pipeline. We have to deliver commercial products available to all patients in need. And that cannot be done without additional investors. The … Continue reading Conference provides critical connections between clinical projects and investors
News
Pathway discovered that could yield therapies to prevent hearts turning to “bone”
In the Rolling Stones’ lyrics having a “Heart of Stone” protected you from heartbreak. But over a million Americans are developing hearts of bone and it could kill them. CIRM-funded researchers at the Gladstone Institutes think they have uncovered the path to this destructive hardening of the heart and that could lead to therapies to … Continue reading Pathway discovered that could yield therapies to prevent hearts turning to “bone”
Pioneer’s 25-year struggle to treat blindness
Being a pioneer is never easy. You are charting unknown territory, tackling problems that have defeated others before you. You have to overcome so many obstacles that at times the challenge can seem insurmountable. But for those who succeed in reaching their goal, the rewards can be extraordinary. Last month Italian researcher Graziella Pellegrini saw … Continue reading Pioneer’s 25-year struggle to treat blindness
One-Time, Lasting Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease May be on Horizon, According to New CIRM-Funded Study
For the nearly 1,000 babies born each year in the United States with sickle cell disease, a painful and arduous road awaits them. The only cure is to find a bone marrow donor—an exceedingly rare proposition. Instead, the standard treatment for this inherited blood disorder is regular blood transfusions, with repeated hospitalizations to deal with … Continue reading One-Time, Lasting Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease May be on Horizon, According to New CIRM-Funded Study
Stay on Target: Scientists Create Chemical ‘Homing Devices’ that Guide Stem Cells to Final Destination
When injecting stem cells into a patient, how do the cells know where to go? How do they know to travel to a specific damage site, without getting distracted along the way? Scientists are now discovering that, in some cases they do but in many cases, they don’t. So engineers have found a way to … Continue reading Stay on Target: Scientists Create Chemical ‘Homing Devices’ that Guide Stem Cells to Final Destination
Heroic three-year study reveals safe methods for growing clinical-grade stem cells
Imagine seeking out the ideal pancake recipe: should you include sugar or no sugar? How about bleached vs. unbleached flour? Baking power or baking soda? When to flip the pancake on the skillet? You really have to test out many parameters to get that perfectly delicious light and fluffy pancake. Essentially that’s what a CIRM-funded … Continue reading Heroic three-year study reveals safe methods for growing clinical-grade stem cells
Stem cell stories that caught our eye; progress toward artificial brain, teeth may help the blind and obesity
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. More progress toward artificial brain. A team at the RIKEN Institute in Japan has used stem cells in a 3-D culture to create brain tissue … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye; progress toward artificial brain, teeth may help the blind and obesity
Roadmap to our epigenome reveals the genetic switches that make one adult cell type different from others
A decade ago scientists made a huge news splash when they announced the completion of the human genome project declaring it the first road map of our genes. But it did not take long to realize that the early road map was like some of the early days of GPS systems: it lacked knowledge of … Continue reading Roadmap to our epigenome reveals the genetic switches that make one adult cell type different from others
Combination Cancer Therapy Gives Cells a Knockout Punch
For some forms of cancer, there really is no way to truly eradicate it. Even the most advanced chemotherapy treatments leave behind some straggler cells that can fuel a relapse. But now, scientists have devised a unique strategy, something they are calling a ‘one-two punch’ that can more effectively wipe out dangerous tumors, and lower … Continue reading Combination Cancer Therapy Gives Cells a Knockout Punch
All Things Being (Un)Equal: Scientists Discover Gene that Breaks Traditional Laws of Inheritance
One of the most fundamental laws of biology is about to be turned on its head, according to new research from scientists at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine. As reported in the journal PLOS Genetics, UNC researchers identified a gene that does not obey traditional laws that determine how genes get … Continue reading All Things Being (Un)Equal: Scientists Discover Gene that Breaks Traditional Laws of Inheritance
The Stem Cellar 