Partnering with the best to help find cures for rare diseases

As a state agency we focus most of our efforts and nearly all our money on California. That’s what we were set up to do. But that doesn’t mean we don’t also look outside the borders of California to try and find the best research, and the most promising therapies, to help people in need. … Continue reading Partnering with the best to help find cures for rare diseases

Stem Cell Stories that caught our eye: a womb with a view, reversing aging and stabilizing stem cells

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. Today we bring you a trifecta of stem cell stories that were partially funded by grants from CIRM. A womb with a view: using 3D … Continue reading Stem Cell Stories that caught our eye: a womb with a view, reversing aging and stabilizing stem cells

Stem cell stories that caught our eye: Blood stem cells on a diet, Bladder control after spinal cord injuries, new ALS insights

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

Stem cell stories that caught our eye: healing diabetic ulcers, new spinal cord injury insights & an expanding CRISPR toolbox

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. Stem cells heal diabetic foot ulcers in pilot study Foot ulcers are one of the many long-term complications that diabetics face. About 15 percent of … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: healing diabetic ulcers, new spinal cord injury insights & an expanding CRISPR toolbox

Beige isn’t bland when it comes to solving the obesity epidemic

Americans spend over $60 billion a year to lose weight and yet two-thirds (that’s more than 200 million) are considered overweight or obese. Losing weight should be easy: just eat less and exercise more, right? But our body’s metabolism is a very complex thing and appears to fight against our best efforts to shed pounds. … Continue reading Beige isn’t bland when it comes to solving the obesity epidemic

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

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

Multi-Talented Stem Cells: The Many Ways to Use Them in the Clinic

CIRM kicked off the 2016 International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Conference in San Francisco with a public stem cell event yesterday that brought scientists, patients, patient advocates and members of the general public together to discuss the many ways stem cells are being used in the clinic to develop treatments for patients with … Continue reading Multi-Talented Stem Cells: The Many Ways to Use Them in the Clinic

Good from bad: UCSF scientists turn scar-forming cells into healthy liver cells

Most people know that a healthy liver is key for survival. Unfortunately, maintaining a healthy liver isn’t always easy. There are more than 100 different types of liver disease caused by various factors like viral infection, obesity, and genetics. If left untreated, they can progress to end-stage liver disease, also known as cirrhosis, which effects … Continue reading Good from bad: UCSF scientists turn scar-forming cells into healthy liver cells

What’s the big idea? Or in this case, what’s the 19 big ideas?

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?