Yesterday, CIRM-funded scientists at UCLA published an interesting study that sheds light on the development of sensory neurons, a type of nerve cell that is damaged in patients with spinal cord injury. Their early-stage findings could potentially, down the road, lead to the development of stem cell-based treatments that rebuild the sensory nervous system in … Continue reading UCLA scientists begin a journey to restore the sense of touch in paralyzed patients
A trip to the OR started CIRM’s latest Board member on a career in science
The CIRM Board is pretty big, 29 members, all of whom have very different backgrounds and experiences. That’s one of its strengths, the diversity of members and the sheer range of expertise they bring to this work. Our newest member, Dr. David Martin, is the Chair and CEO of AvidBiotics Corp., a biotech company in … Continue reading A trip to the OR started CIRM’s latest Board member on a career in science
Blocking spike in stem cell growth after brain injury may lessen memory decline, seizures
Survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) often suffer from debilitating, life changing symptoms like memory decline and epileptic seizures. Researchers had observed that following TBI, a stem cell-rich area of the brain provides a spike in new nerve cell growth, presumably to help replace damaged or destroyed brain cells. But, like a lot of things … Continue reading Blocking spike in stem cell growth after brain injury may lessen memory decline, seizures
Stem Cell Stories That Caught our Eye: Insights into a healthy brain, targeting mutant cancers and commercializing cell therapies
Here's your weekly roundup of interesting stem cell stories! Partnership for a healthy brain. To differentiate or not to differentiate. That is the question the stem cells in our tissues and organs face. In the case of the brain, neural precursor cells can either remain in a stem cell state or they can differentiate into mature brain … Continue reading Stem Cell Stories That Caught our Eye: Insights into a healthy brain, targeting mutant cancers and commercializing cell therapies
Attractive new regenerative medicine tool uses magnets to shape and stimulate stem cells
The ultimate goal of tissue engineers who work in the regenerative medicine field is to replace damaged or diseased organs with new ones built from stem cells. To accomplish the feat, these researchers are developing new tools and techniques to manipulate and specialize stem cells into three dimensional structures. Some popular methods – which we’ve … Continue reading Attractive new regenerative medicine tool uses magnets to shape and stimulate stem cells
Protein that turns normal cells into cancer stem cells offers target to fight colon cancer
Colon cancer is a global killer. Each year more than one million people worldwide are diagnosed with it; more than half a million die from it. If diagnosed early enough the standard treatment involves surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or targeted drug therapy to destroy the tumors. In many cases this may work. But in some cases, … Continue reading Protein that turns normal cells into cancer stem cells offers target to fight colon cancer
CIRM-funded scientists discover a new way to make stem cells using antibodies
Just as learning a new skill takes time to hone, scientific discoveries take time to perfect. Such is the case with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), the Nobel Prize winning technology that reprograms mature adult cells back into a pluripotent stem cell state. iPSCs are a powerful tool because they can develop into any cell … Continue reading CIRM-funded scientists discover a new way to make stem cells using antibodies
UCLA launches CIRM-funded clinical trial using engineered blood stem cells to fight hard-to-treat cancers
It’s not uncommon for biomedical institutes as well as their funding partners to announce through press releases that a clinical trial they’re running has gotten off the ground and has started to enroll patients. For an outsider looking in, it may seem like they’re jumping the gun a bit. No patients have received the therapy. … Continue reading UCLA launches CIRM-funded clinical trial using engineered blood stem cells to fight hard-to-treat cancers
Stem Cell Stories That Caught our Eye: Duchenne muscular dystrophy and short telomeres, motor neurons from skin, and students today, stem cell scientists tomorrow
Short telomeres associated with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a severe muscle wasting disease that typically affects young men. There is no cure for DMD and the average life expectancy is 26. These are troubling facts that scientists at the University of Pennsylvania are hoping to change with their recent findings in … Continue reading Stem Cell Stories That Caught our Eye: Duchenne muscular dystrophy and short telomeres, motor neurons from skin, and students today, stem cell scientists tomorrow
Hearts and brains are center stage at CIRM Patient Advocate event
Describing the work of a government agency is not the most exciting of topics. Books on the subject would probably be found in the “Self-help for Insomniacs” section of a good bookstore (there are still some around). But at CIRM we are fortunate. When we talk about what we do, we don’t talk about the … Continue reading Hearts and brains are center stage at CIRM Patient Advocate event
The Stem Cellar 