Have you ever stood in line in a supermarket checkout line and browsed through the magazines stacked conveniently at eye level? (of course you have, we all have). They are always filled with attention-grabbing headlines like “5 Ways to a Slimmer You by Christmas” or “Ten Tips for Rock Hard Abs” (that one doesn’t work … Continue reading What’s the big idea? Or in this case, what’s the 19 big ideas?
UC Los Angeles
New developments in prostate cancer from UCLA
Today we’re bringing you a research update from a CIRM-funded team at UCLA that’s dedicated to finding a cure for prostate cancer. The team is led by Dr. Owen Witte, the director of the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center and a Howard Hughes Investigator. Dr. Witte is well known for his work in leukemia … Continue reading New developments in prostate cancer from UCLA
Patients are the Heroes at the CIRM Alpha Stem Cell Clinics Symposium
UCSD’s Catriona Jamieson and patient advocate Sandra Dillon at the CIRM Alpha Clinic Network Symposium Sometimes, when you take a moment to stand back and look at what you have accomplished, you can surprise yourself at how far you have come, and how much you have done in a short space of time. Take the … Continue reading Patients are the Heroes at the CIRM Alpha Stem Cell Clinics Symposium
Rare disease underdogs come out on top at CIRM Board meeting
It seems like an oxymoron but one in ten Americans has a rare disease. With more than 7,000 known rare diseases it’s easy to see how each one could affect thousands of individuals and still be considered a rare or orphan condition. Only 5% of rare diseases have FDA approved therapies People with rare … Continue reading Rare disease underdogs come out on top at CIRM Board meeting
CIRM Alpha Stem Cell Clinics: Paving a Path to Cures
Our mission at CIRM is to accelerate stem cell treatments to patients with unmet medical needs. Over the past ten years, our agency has been tasked with carefully distributing $3 billion dollars of California state tax payer money to the best and brightest scientists in California (and outside too, providing they meet certain requirements). These … Continue reading CIRM Alpha Stem Cell Clinics: Paving a Path to Cures
Family ties help drive UCLA’s search for a stem cell treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy
April Pyle, Courtney Young and Melissa Spencer: Photo courtesy UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center People get into science for all sorts of different reasons. For Courtney Young the reason was easy; she has a cousin with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Now her work as part of a team at UCLA has led to a new … Continue reading Family ties help drive UCLA’s search for a stem cell treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy
How you derive embryonic stem cells matters
A scientist named James Thompson was the first to successfully culture human embryonic stem cells in 1998. He didn’t know it then, but his technique isolated a specific type of embryonic stem cell (ESC) that had a “primed pluripotent state”. There are actually two phases of pluripotency: naïve and primed. Naïve ESCs occur a step … Continue reading How you derive embryonic stem cells matters
A Tale of Two Stem Cell Treatments for Growing New Bones
Got Milk? If you grew up during the 90’s, you most certainly will remember the famous “Got Milk?” advertising campaign to boost milk consumption. The plug was that milk was an invaluable source of calcium, a mineral that’s essential for growing strong bones. Drinking three glasses of the white stuff a day, supposedly would help … Continue reading A Tale of Two Stem Cell Treatments for Growing New Bones
Regenerating damaged muscle after a heart attack
Images of clusters of heart muscle cells (in red and green) derived from human embryonic stem cells 40 days after transplantation. Courtesy UCLA Every year more than 735,000 Americans have a heart attack. Many of those who survive often have lasting damage to their heart muscle and are at increased risk for future attacks and … Continue reading Regenerating damaged muscle after a heart attack
UCLA scientists find new targets for late-stage prostate cancer
Prostate cancer, which currently affects 3 million men in the United States, is no longer a death sentence if caught early. The five-year survival rate is very high (~98%) because of effective treatments like hormone therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation—and for many men with slow progressing tumors, the wait-and-watch approach offers an alternative to treatment. … Continue reading UCLA scientists find new targets for late-stage prostate cancer
The Stem Cellar 