Have you heard of stem cells but don't know what they are or why they are essential in medical research? In celebration of Stem Cell Awareness Day, the second Wednesday in October that is dedicated to educating about the importance of stem cells, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is providing this guide on … Continue reading Stem Cell Awareness: What are stem cells and why research is important
Translational research
Apply now! Translational research funding, applications due June 13th
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is pleased to announce the next round of funding opportunities for Translational (TRAN) research projects. Click here to access the Program Announcement. The objective of this program is to fund promising stem cell-based and gene therapy projects that accelerate completion of translational stage activities necessary for advancement to clinical study or broad … Continue reading Apply now! Translational research funding, applications due June 13th
Making transplants easier for kids, and charting a new approach to fighting solid tumors.
Every year California performs around 100 kidney transplants in children but, on average, around 50 of these patients will have their body reject the transplant. These children then have to undergo regular dialysis while waiting for a new organ. Even the successful transplants require a lifetime of immunosuppression medications. These medications can prevent rejection but … Continue reading Making transplants easier for kids, and charting a new approach to fighting solid tumors.
Creating a ‘bespoke’ approach to rare diseases
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Up until recently the word “bespoke” meant just one thing to me, a hand-made suit, customized and fitted to you. There’s a street in London, Saville Row, that specializes in these suits. They’re gorgeous. They’re also very expensive and so I thought I’d never have a … Continue reading Creating a ‘bespoke’ approach to rare diseases
The long road to developing a therapy for epilepsy
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Good science takes time. That’s an important guiding phrase for researchers looking to develop new therapies. But it’s also a frustrating reality for patients who are waiting for something to help them now. That point was driven home last week when the governing board of the … Continue reading The long road to developing a therapy for epilepsy
Stem cell agency invests in therapy using killer cells to target colorectal, breast and ovarian cancers
While there have been some encouraging advances in treating cancer in recent decades, there are still many cancers that either resist treatment or recur after treatment. Today the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) approved investing in a therapy targeting some of these hard-to-treat tumors. BioEclipse Therapeutics Inc. was awarded nearly … Continue reading Stem cell agency invests in therapy using killer cells to target colorectal, breast and ovarian cancers
Joining the movement to fight rare diseases
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST It’s hard to think of something as being rare when it affects up to 30 million Americans and 300 million people worldwide. But the truth is there are more than 6,000 conditions – those affecting 200,000 people or fewer – that are considered rare. Today, … Continue reading Joining the movement to fight rare diseases
Overcoming obstacles and advancing treatments to patients
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST UC Davis GMP Manufacturing facility: Photo courtesy UC Davis When you are trying to do something that has never been done before, there are bound to be challenges to meet and obstacles to overcome. At the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) we are used to … Continue reading Overcoming obstacles and advancing treatments to patients
Sharing ideas and data to advance regenerative medicine
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST If Kindergarten kids can learn to share why can't scientists? When I was a kid, we were always told to share our toys. It was a good way of teaching children the importance of playing nice with the other kids and avoiding conflicts. Those same virtues … Continue reading Sharing ideas and data to advance regenerative medicine
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
The Stem Cellar 