Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a particularly nasty rare and fatal disease. It predominantly affects boys, slowly robbing them of their ability to control their muscles. By 10 years of age, boys with DMD start to lose the ability to walk; by 12, most need a wheelchair to get around. Eventually they become paralyzed, and … Continue reading Stem cells could offer hope for deadly childhood muscle wasting disease
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Using your own tumor to fight skin cancer
Some things never get old. Like watching the sunset over the Grand Canyon. Listening to a baby laugh. Watching the San Francisco Giants win the baseball World Series. Now you can add to that list learning that one of the clinical trials we are funding has just treated their first patient. The latest to join … Continue reading Using your own tumor to fight skin cancer
Fate of our nerve stem cells determined early in embryo so the few we have as adults have very specific roles
Adult nerve stem cells fall in the category of allusive creatures. A few scientists still question their existence and most suggest they exist in small numbers only in one or two locations in the adult brain. In any case, all agree they are not particularly good at the normal function of stem cells—making repairs to … Continue reading Fate of our nerve stem cells determined early in embryo so the few we have as adults have very specific roles
Help us chart a new direction
It’s hard to get where you want to go without a map. Even if you have a pretty good idea of where you are heading it’s all too easy to get sidetracked or take a wrong turn. Having a good map helps you stay on course. That’s why we are creating our own map, to … Continue reading Help us chart a new direction
New stem cell could unlock key to colon cancer
One of the fascinating things about stem cell research is how quickly the field is evolving. It seems like every other day a new study is published that highlights a new discovery that makes us stop and think how this new knowledge affects our understanding of stem cells and the diseases we are trying to … Continue reading New stem cell could unlock key to colon cancer
Do patient advocacy groups and pharmaceutical companies need marriage counseling?
A new study suggests that the relationship between patient advocacy groups and pharmaceutical companies, particularly those carrying out clinical trials, is hitting a bit of a rough patch. And that could have big consequences for both parties. In the past, patients and patient advocacy groups were very much an afterthought when it came to planning … Continue reading Do patient advocacy groups and pharmaceutical companies need marriage counseling?
Hey, don’t throw out that kidney – I can use it
Researchers at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine have come up with what may be the ultimate in recycling programs. They want to take old, discarded kidneys and, using stem cells, turn them into healthy, functioning kidneys for transplant patients. Well, that’s the ultimate goal. They’ve still got a way to go, but they’re … Continue reading Hey, don’t throw out that kidney – I can use it
Stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury back on track
When Geron decided, in 2010, to halt the first ever clinical trial of stem cells for spinal cord injury it was a disappointment to many people, particularly for those with spinal cord injuries (SCI) who were hoping it might help them. But now that therapy is back, and the company behind it this time, Asterias … Continue reading Stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury back on track
CIRM Pursues “Prudent Path” Forward with Genome Editing Technologies
CIRM’s mission is to accelerate the delivery of stem cell treatments to patients with unmet medical needs. In pursuit of this mission CIRM consistently supports studies designed to apply the latest advances in research and medicine. For example, CIRM has supported the development some of the first therapies utilizing human embryonic stem cells. Another example … Continue reading CIRM Pursues “Prudent Path” Forward with Genome Editing Technologies
Faster, better, more efficient. Challenging? That too. An update on CIRM 2.0.
Changing direction is never easy. The greater the change the greater the likelihood you’ll have to make adjustments and do some fine-tuning along the way to make sure you get it right. On January 1st of this year we made a big change, launching CIRM 2.0. Our President and CEO Dr. C. Randal Mills called … Continue reading Faster, better, more efficient. Challenging? That too. An update on CIRM 2.0.