Putting blood stem cells on a diet. (Karen Ring) Scientists from Stanford and the University of Tokyo have figured out a new way to potentially make bone marrow transplants more safe. Published yesterday in the journal Science, the teams discovered that removing an essential amino acid, called valine, from the diets of mice depleted their … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: Blood stem cells on a diet, Bladder control after spinal cord injuries, new ALS insights
Stanford University
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: two studies of the heart and cool stem cell art
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. Understanding Heart Defects. Healthy heart tissue is made up of smooth, solid muscle, which is essential for normal heart function. Patients with a heart defect … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: two studies of the heart and cool stem cell art
CIRM Grantees Reflect on Ten Years of iPS Cells
For the fourth entry for our “Ten Years of Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cells” series, which we’ve been posting all month, I reached out to three of our CIRM grantees to get their perspectives on the impact of iPSC technology on their research and the regenerative medicine field as a whole: Step back in time … Continue reading CIRM Grantees Reflect on Ten Years of iPS Cells
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: 3D mini-lungs, Parkinson’s culprit, Motherless babies!
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. Mimicking human air sacs – a new lab tool for studying respiratory disease Studying a flat lawn of cells in a petri dish is so … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: 3D mini-lungs, Parkinson’s culprit, Motherless babies!
New approach could help turn back the clock and reverse damage for stroke patients
Stroke is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the US. Every year almost 800,000 people suffer from a stroke. The impact on their lives, and the lives of those around them can be devastating. Right now the only treatment approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is tissue plasminogen activator or … Continue reading New approach could help turn back the clock and reverse damage for stroke patients
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
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: herding stem cells, mini autistic brains, tendon repair and hair replacement
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. Major advance in getting stem cells to behave. The promise of embryonic stem cells comes from their ability to become any cell type in the … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: herding stem cells, mini autistic brains, tendon repair and hair replacement
California high schoolers SPARK interest in stem cell research through social media
I have a job for you today and it’s a fun one. Open your Instagram app on your phone. If you’re not an Instagrammer, don’t worry, you can access the website on your computer. Do you have it open? OK now type in the hashtag #CIRMSparkLab and click on it. What you’ll find is around … Continue reading California high schoolers SPARK interest in stem cell research through social media
Stem cell transplant offers Jake a glimpse of hope
Jake Javier surrounded by friends; Photo courtesy Julie Haener KTVU On Thursday, July 7th, Jake Javier became the latest member of a very select group. Jake underwent a stem cell transplant for a spinal cord injury at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center here in the San Francisco Bay Area. The therapy is part of the … Continue reading Stem cell transplant offers Jake a glimpse of hope
The Spanish Inquisition and a tale of two stem cell agencies
Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition sketch: Photo courtesy Daily Mail UK It’s not often an article on stem cell research brings the old, but still much loved, British comedy series Monty Python into the discussion but a new study in the journal Cell Stem Cell does just that, comparing the impact of CIRM and the UK’s … Continue reading The Spanish Inquisition and a tale of two stem cell agencies
The Stem Cellar 