Stem cell stories that caught our eye: repairing radiation damage, beta thalassemia clinical trial and disease models

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. Stem cells repair brain damage from radiation therapy. Radiation for brain cancer can be a lifesaver but it can also be a dramatic life changer. … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: repairing radiation damage, beta thalassemia clinical trial and disease models

MIT Scientists Recreate Malaria in a Dish to Test Promising Drug Candidates

At the beginning, it feels like the flu: aches, pains and vomiting. But then you begin to experience severe cold and shivering, followed by fever and sweating—a cycle, known as tertian fever, that repeats itself every two days. And that’s when you know: you’ve contracted malaria. But you wouldn’t be alone. According to the World … Continue reading MIT Scientists Recreate Malaria in a Dish to Test Promising Drug Candidates

Money matters: how investing in research advances stem cell science

Our goal at the stem cell agency is simple; to accelerate the development of successful therapies to patients with unmet medical needs. But on the way to doing that something interesting is happening; we’re helping advance the scientific understanding of stem cells and building a robust stem cell research community in California in the process. … Continue reading Money matters: how investing in research advances stem cell science

‘STARS’ Help Scientists Control Genetic On/Off Switch

All life on Earth relies, ultimately, on the delicate coordination of switches. During development, these switches turn genes on—or keep them off—at precise intervals, controlling the complex processes that guide the growth of the embryo, cell by cell, as it matures from a collection of stem cells into a living, breathing organism. If you control … Continue reading ‘STARS’ Help Scientists Control Genetic On/Off Switch

Stem cell stories that caught our eye: new ways to reprogram, shifting attitudes on tissue donation, and hockey legend’s miracle questioned

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. Insulin-producing cells produced from skin. Starting with human skin cells a team at the University of Iowa has created iPS-type stem cells through genetic reprogramming … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: new ways to reprogram, shifting attitudes on tissue donation, and hockey legend’s miracle questioned

Getting the right tools for the right job

Imagine a device that sits outside the body and works like a form of dialysis for a damaged liver, filtering out the toxins and giving the liver a chance to regenerate, and the patient a chance to avoid the need for a transplant. Or imagine a method of enhancing the number of stem cells we … Continue reading Getting the right tools for the right job

Extending the Lease: Stanford Scientists Turn Back Clock on Aging Cells

In the end, all living things—even the cells in our bodies—must die. But what if we could delay the inevitable, even just for a bit? What new scientific advances could come as a result? In research published this week in the FASEB Journal, scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have devised a new … Continue reading Extending the Lease: Stanford Scientists Turn Back Clock on Aging Cells

Scientists Develop Colorful Cell-Imaging Technique

Proteins are the helmsmen of the cell. They drive the essential processes that keep cells alive, keep them healthy and keep them functioning. And in recent years scientists have discovered that proteins rarely act alone. In fact, so-called ‘protein-protein interactions’ are now known to drive the vast majority of cellular functions. But figuring out exactly … Continue reading Scientists Develop Colorful Cell-Imaging Technique

Scientists Send Rodents to Space; Test New Therapy to Prevent Bone Loss

In just a few months, 40 very special rodents will embark upon the journey of a lifetime. Today UCLA scientists are announcing the start of a project that will test a new therapy that has the potential to slow, halt or even reverse bone loss due to disease or injury. With grant funding from the … Continue reading Scientists Send Rodents to Space; Test New Therapy to Prevent Bone Loss