We think CIRM-funded clinical trials hold so much promise that it doesn’t surprise us when major news organizations publish stories about these projects that aim to provide stem cell treatments to patients with unmet medical needs. But we certainly don’t mind the attention! This past Saturday, for example, the Wall Street Journal featured two CIRM-funded … Continue reading Wall Street Journal features CIRM-funded clinical trials aiming for a diabetes cure
ViaCyte
ViaCyte Advances Cell Replacement Therapy for High Risk Type 1 Diabetes
San Diego regenerative medicine company ViaCyte announced this week that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved their Investigational New Drug (IND) Application for PEC-Direct, a cell-based therapy to treat patients at risk for severe complications caused by type 1 diabetes. In the US, IND approval is the final regulatory step required before a therapy … Continue reading ViaCyte Advances Cell Replacement Therapy for High Risk Type 1 Diabetes
Creating partnerships to help get stem cell therapies over the finish line
Trying to go it alone is never easy. Imagine how far Lewis would have got without Clark, or the two of them without Sacagawea. Would Batman have succeeded without Robin; Mickey without Minnie Mouse? Having a partner whose skills and expertise complements yours just makes things easier. That’s why some recent news about two CIRM-funded … Continue reading Creating partnerships to help get stem cell therapies over the finish line
Stem cells stories that caught our eye: switching cell ID to treat diabetes, AI predicts cell fate, stem cell ALS therapy for Canada
Treating diabetes by changing a cell’s identity. Stem cells are an ideal therapy strategy for treating type 1 diabetes. That’s because the disease is caused by the loss of a very specific cell type: the insulin-producing beta cell in the pancreas. So, several groups are developing treatments that aim to replace the lost cells by transplanting … Continue reading Stem cells stories that caught our eye: switching cell ID to treat diabetes, AI predicts cell fate, stem cell ALS therapy for Canada
Don’t Sugar Coat it: A Patient’s Perspective on Type 1 Diabetes
“In the weeks leading up to my diagnosis, I remember making and drinking Kool-Aid at the rate of about a gallon per day, and getting up to pee and drink Kool-Aid several times a night. The exhaustion and constant thirst and the weight loss were pretty scary. Insulin saved my life, and it’s been saving … Continue reading Don’t Sugar Coat it: A Patient’s Perspective on Type 1 Diabetes
Throwback Thursday: Progress to a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes
Welcome back to our “Throwback Thursday” series on the Stem Cellar. Over the years, we’ve accumulated an arsenal of valuable stem cell stories on our blog. Some of these stories represent crucial advances towards stem cell-based cures for serious diseases and deserve a second look. This week in honor of Diabetes Awareness Month, we are … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: Progress to a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes
From Pig Parts to Stem Cells: Scientist Douglas Melton Wins Ogawa-Yamanaka Prize for Work on Diabetes
Since the 1920s, insulin injections have remained the best solution for managing type 1 diabetes. Patients with this disease do not make enough insulin – a hormone that regulates the sugar levels in your blood – because the insulin-producing cells, or beta cells, in their pancreas are destroyed. Back then, it took two tons of … Continue reading From Pig Parts to Stem Cells: Scientist Douglas Melton Wins Ogawa-Yamanaka Prize for Work on Diabetes
CIRM Board targets diabetes and kidney disease with big stem cell research awards
A recent study estimated there may be more than 500 million people worldwide who have diabetes. That’s an astounding figure and makes diabetes one of the largest chronic disease epidemics in human history. One of the most serious consequences of untreated or uncontrolled diabetes is kidney damage. That can lead to fatigue, weakness, confusion, kidney … Continue reading CIRM Board targets diabetes and kidney disease with big stem cell research awards
Scientists Make Insulin-Secreting Cells from Stem Cells of Type 1 Diabetes Patients
Stem cell research for diabetes is in a Golden Age. In the past few years, scientists have developed methods to generate insulin-secreting pancreatic beta cell-like cells from embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), and even directly from human skin. We’ve covered a number of recent studies in this area on our blog, … Continue reading Scientists Make Insulin-Secreting Cells from Stem Cells of Type 1 Diabetes Patients
Diabetes’ demise? Master Switch Identified for Turning Stem Cells into Functional Insulin-Producing Cells
It’s been a good week for diabetes researchers and the over one million Americans with type 1 diabetes who are hoping for an eventual stem cell-based treatment for this incurable disease. Published a day apart, two studies reported on achieving an elusive goal for the field: creating functional insulin-producing cells in a lab dish from induced … Continue reading Diabetes’ demise? Master Switch Identified for Turning Stem Cells into Functional Insulin-Producing Cells
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