All her life, Madison Waterlander knew that she wanted to be a part of the medical field. But soon after graduating from the University of Hawaii with her undergraduate degree, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. It was during this time that she noticed how crucial biomedical research was in the medical field and lives of patients, and … Continue reading A newfound passion for stem cell research
UC Santa Barbara
Stem Cell Agency Invests $46 Million in New Education Program
CIRM Bridges students 2022. The CIRM Board approved funding for a program to help even more students advance a career in science. The governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has approved $46,076,430 to invest in its newest education pillar- the COMPASS (Creating Opportunities through Mentorship and Partnership Across Stem cell Science) … Continue reading Stem Cell Agency Invests $46 Million in New Education Program
Stem cell-derived retinal patch continues to show promising results two years post-implantation
Earlier this year we wrote about the promising results of a phase 1 clinical trial aimed at replacing the deteriorating cells in the retinas of people suffering from age-related macular degeneration- one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide for people over 50. Now there’s even more good news! Highlighted in a news story on … Continue reading Stem cell-derived retinal patch continues to show promising results two years post-implantation
Creating a diverse group of future scientists
Students in CIRM's Bridges program showing posters of their work If you have read the headlines lately, you’ll know that the COVID-19 pandemic is having a huge impact on the shipping industry. Container vessels are forced to sit out at anchor for a week or more because there just aren’t enough dock workers to unload … Continue reading Creating a diverse group of future scientists
CIRM funded trial for AMD shows promising results
This upcoming July is healthy vision month, a time to remember the importance of making vision and eye health a priority. It's also a time to think about the approximately 12 million people, 40 and over in the United States, that have a vision impairment. Vision can be something that many of us take for … Continue reading CIRM funded trial for AMD shows promising results
Sometimes a cold stare is a good thing
A retina of a patient with macular degeneration. (Photo credit: Paul Parker/SPL) Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the elderly in the U.S. It’s estimated that some 11 million Americans could have some form of the disease, a number that is growing every year. So if you … Continue reading Sometimes a cold stare is a good thing
CIRM-funded research aims to create a platform to test therapies for AMD
People with late stage age-related macular degeneration lose their central vision. So an image like the one on the left might appear to them as shown on the right. Credit: University of California - Santa Barbara Our vision is one of the most important senses that we use in our everyday lives. Whether its to … Continue reading CIRM-funded research aims to create a platform to test therapies for AMD
Facebook Live: Ask the Stem Cell Team
On December 12th we hosted our latest 'Facebook Live: Ask the Stem Cell Team' event. This time around we really did mean team. We had a host of our Science Officers answering questions from friends and supporters of CIRM. We got a lot of questions and didn't have enough time to address them all. So … Continue reading Facebook Live: Ask the Stem Cell Team
Why having a wrinkled brain is a good thing
We normally associate wrinkles with aging, such as wrinkled skin. But there’s one organ that is wrinkled right from the time we are born. It’s our brain. And new research shows those wrinkles are not a sign of age but are, in fact, a sign of just how large and complex our brains are. The … Continue reading Why having a wrinkled brain is a good thing
Stem Cell Patch Restores Vision in Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Two UK patients suffering from vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration (AMD) have regained their sight thanks to a stem cell-based retinal patch developed by researchers from UC Santa Barbara (UCSB). The preliminary results of this promising Phase 1 clinical study were published yesterday in the journal Nature Biotechnology. AMD is one of the … Continue reading Stem Cell Patch Restores Vision in Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration
The Stem Cellar 