Apply Now for New Manufacturing Funding Opportunity

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has set goals through its five-year strategic plan to continue to deliver the full potential of regenerative medicine to the people of California and around the world.  One of those goals is to overcome manufacturing hurdles for the delivery of regenerative medicine therapies by building a public-private manufacturing … Continue reading Apply Now for New Manufacturing Funding Opportunity

The doctor who fights vision loss and wildfires

Dennis Clegg, UC Santa Barbara researcher Doctor Dennis Clegg, a researcher and scientist at UC Santa Barbara, is fascinated by the eye. He thinks it's one of the most beautiful objects in nature and wonders how something as complex and elegant developed and is able to connect with our brains to make vision possible. That's … Continue reading The doctor who fights vision loss and wildfires

CIRM Board Approves Funding for New Clinical Trial Targeting Brain Tumors

The governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has awarded almost $12 million to carry out a clinical trial targeting brain tumors. This brings the total number of CIRM funded clinical trials to 83.   $11,999,984 was awarded to Dr. Jana Portnow at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope. They are using Neural stem … Continue reading CIRM Board Approves Funding for New Clinical Trial Targeting Brain Tumors

Developing a natural killer for cancer

Lili Yang UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center: Photo courtesy Reed Hutchinson PhotoGraphics When Lili Yang was studying for her PhD she approached her mentor, the Nobel Laureate Dr. David Baltimore, and told him she was thinking about writing her thesis on a combination of gene therapy, immunotherapy and stem cell therapy. She says he … Continue reading Developing a natural killer for cancer

Honor of a lifetime

Senator Art Torres (Retired), the Vice Chair of the CIRM Board, has had a pretty amazing life – you can read about some of his accomplishments here – and has received many honors. Last week he received one more. Art was given the Dolores Huerta Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the Latino Heritage Month … Continue reading Honor of a lifetime

Pioneering a new approach to HIV/AIDS

Dr. Steven Deeks. Photo courtesy UCSF I’ve always been impressed by the willingness of individuals to step forward and volunteer for a clinical trial. Even more so when they are the first person ever to test a first-in-human therapy. They really are pioneers in helping advance a whole new approach to treating disease.  That’s certainly … Continue reading Pioneering a new approach to HIV/AIDS

Apply by Nov. 8th for CIRM Discovery stage funding!

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is pleased to announce a new opportunity within our current funding cycle for Discovery stage programs: the DISC0 Foundation Awards which focus on foundational and/or mechanistic research projects grounded in human biology and/or disease pathology.    Projects funded through the Foundation Awards should propose impactful or innovative research that culminates in a discovery or technology that … Continue reading Apply by Nov. 8th for CIRM Discovery stage funding!

Judy Chou, Ph.D., Appointed to Governing Board of California’s Stem Cell & Gene Therapy Agency

Judy Chou, Ph.D. Judy Chou, Ph.D. has been appointed to the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee (ICOC), the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Dr. Chou is the President, CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of AltruBio, Inc. a clinical stage biotech company that is focused on developing novel … Continue reading Judy Chou, Ph.D., Appointed to Governing Board of California’s Stem Cell & Gene Therapy Agency

State Stem Cell & Gene Therapy Agency Sets up Support Program to Help Patients Participate in Clinical Trials

For many patients battling deadly diseases, getting access to a clinical trial can be life-saving, but it can also be very challenging. Today the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) approved a concept plan to make it financially and logistically easier for patients to take part in CIRM-funded clinical trials. The … Continue reading State Stem Cell & Gene Therapy Agency Sets up Support Program to Help Patients Participate in Clinical Trials

Unlocking the secrets of autism

Dr. Alysson Muotri, in his lab at UCSD For Dr. Alysson Muotri, unlocking autism’s biology is personal. His son has autism, and Muotri hopes to help him and millions of others. A Mission to Understand Autism He launched the Tooth Fairy Project, which collected more than 3,000 donated baby teeth from children with and without … Continue reading Unlocking the secrets of autism