Producing insulin for people who can’t

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST ViaCyte's implantable stem cell pouch One of the huge advantages of a stem cell agency like CIRM (not that there is anything out there quite like us, but anyway) is our ability to support projects as they progress from a great idea to a therapy actually … Continue reading Producing insulin for people who can’t

Stem Cell Agency Board Invests in Therapy Targeting Deadly Blood Cancers

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Dr. Ezra Cohen, photo courtesy UCSD Hematologic malignancies are cancers that affect the blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes and include different forms of leukemia and lymphoma. Current treatments can be effective, but in those patients that do not respond, there are few treatment options. Today, … Continue reading Stem Cell Agency Board Invests in Therapy Targeting Deadly Blood Cancers

Sweating bullets and other stories from the front line

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the 2020 election became one of the most contentious in living history, it suddenly made trying to get a proposition on the ballot in California a lot harder. That meant the fate of Proposition 14, a ballot initiative refunding CIRM, … Continue reading Sweating bullets and other stories from the front line

A step forward in finding a treatment for a deadly neurological disorder

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST MRI section of a brain affected by ALS with the front section of the brain highlighted Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a nasty disease that steadily attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It’s pretty much always fatal … Continue reading A step forward in finding a treatment for a deadly neurological disorder

Some good news for people with dodgy knees

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIOCAST Graphic contrasting a healthy knee with one that has osteoarthritis About 10% of Americans suffer from knee osteoarthritis, a painful condition that can really impair mobility and quality of life. It's often caused by an injury to cartilage, say when you were playing sports in high school … Continue reading Some good news for people with dodgy knees

Getting under the skin of people with type 1 diabetes – but in a good way

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIOCAST As someone with a family history of type 1 diabetes (T1D) I know how devastating the condition can be. I also know how challenging it can be to keep it under control and the consequences of failing to do that. Not maintaining healthy blood sugar levels can … Continue reading Getting under the skin of people with type 1 diabetes – but in a good way

Looking back and looking forward: good news for two CIRM-supported studies

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4IimCtQ8STpFikwZRXqSAB Dr. Rosa Bacchetta on the right with Brian Lookofsky (left) and Taylor Lookofsky after CIRM funded Dr. Bacchetta's work in October 2019. Taylor has IPEX syndrome It’s always lovely to end the week on a bright note and that’s certainly the case this week, thanks to some encouraging news about CIRM-funded research targeting blood … Continue reading Looking back and looking forward: good news for two CIRM-supported studies

Them bones them bones them dry bones – and how to help repair them

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIOCAST ON SPOTIFY Broken bones People say that with age comes wisdom, kindness and confidence. What they usually don’t say is that it also comes with aches and pains and problems we didn’t have when we were younger. For example, as we get older our bones get thinner … Continue reading Them bones them bones them dry bones – and how to help repair them

Mother and daughter team up to fight bias and discrimination in treatment for people with sickle cell disease

LISTEN TO AN AUDIO VERSION OF THIS BLOG Adrienne Shapiro and Marissa Cors are a remarkable pair by any definition. The mother and daughter duo share a common bond, and a common goal. And they are determined not to let anyone stop them achieving that goal. Marissa was born with sickle cell disease (SCD) a … Continue reading Mother and daughter team up to fight bias and discrimination in treatment for people with sickle cell disease

Creating a better way to treat type 1 diabetes

LISTEN TO THIS BLOG AS AN AUDIOCAST ON SPOTIFY The cell encapsulation device (right) that is being developed by Encellin, a San Francisco–based biotechnology company. Photo courtesy of Encellin Type 1 diabetes (t1d) affects every aspect of a person’s life, from what they eat and when they eat, to when they exercise and how they feel … Continue reading Creating a better way to treat type 1 diabetes