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. Telomeres and stem cell stability: too much of a good thing Just like those plastic tips at the end of shoelaces (fun fact: they’re called … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: insights into stem cell biology through telomeres, reprogramming and lung disease
Why Goldilocks could provide the answer to changing the way FDA regulates stem cells
One of the hottest topics of the past year in regenerative medicine has been the discussion about the need for regulatory reform at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) so it’s no surprise that topic was the subject of the first main panel discussion at the 2016 World Stem Cell Summit in West Palm Beach, … Continue reading Why Goldilocks could provide the answer to changing the way FDA regulates stem cells
How stem cells are helping change the face of medicine, one pioneering patient at a time
One of the many great pleasures of my job is that I get to meet so many amazing people. I get to know the researchers who are changing the face of medicine, but even more extraordinary are the people who are helping them do it, the patients. Attacking Cancer It’s humbling to meet people like … Continue reading How stem cells are helping change the face of medicine, one pioneering patient at a time
Translating great stem cell ideas into effective therapies
In science, there are a lot of terms that could easily mystify people without a research background; “translational” is not one of them. Translational research simply means to take findings from basic research and advance them into something that is ready to be tested in people in a clinical trial. Yesterday our Governing Board approved … Continue reading Translating great stem cell ideas into effective therapies
A single protein can boost blood stem cell regeneration
Today, CIRM-funded scientists from the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center reported in Nature Medicine that hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) - blood stem cells that generate the cell in your blood and immune system - get a helping hand after injury from cells in the bone marrow called bone progenitor cells. By secreting a protein called dickkopf-1 … Continue reading A single protein can boost blood stem cell regeneration
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: glowing stem cells and new insights into Zika and SCID
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. Glowing stem cells help scientists understand how cells work. (Karen Ring) It’s easy to notice when something is going wrong. It’s a lot harder to … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: glowing stem cells and new insights into Zika and SCID
Key Steps Along the Way To Finding Treatments for HIV on World AIDS Day
Today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day. It's a day to acknowledge the progress that is being made in HIV prevention and treatment around the world but also to renew our commitment to a future free of HIV. This year's theme is Leadership. Commitment. Impact. At CIRM we are funding a number of projects focused … Continue reading Key Steps Along the Way To Finding Treatments for HIV on World AIDS Day
Stem cells have a neat trick to prevent tissue scarring
A CIRM-funded study from the Stanford University School of Medicine has discovered that stem cells in muscle tissue “police themselves” to reduce fibrosis or the buildup of scar tissue. The ability to prevent scarring could promote anti-aging properties by keeping muscles healthy and functional and could also benefit patients with muscle wasting diseases like muscular … Continue reading Stem cells have a neat trick to prevent tissue scarring
New iPS Insights: Cell Damage Enhances Reprogramming
Researchers learn a ton about the biological function of cells by studying them in vitro; that is, outside the body in a petri dish. But inside the body, or in vivo, cells respond to surrounding proteins and other cells that may be missing in an in vitro experiment. Important insights waiting to be revealed can … Continue reading New iPS Insights: Cell Damage Enhances Reprogramming
CIRM-funded stem cell trial for retinitis pigmentosa makes progress
A CIRM-funded clinical trial for retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a degenerative eye disease that causes blindness, recently reached its next milestone and announced the completion of its patient enrollment for a phase I/IIa study testing a stem cell derived therapy. This is a major step forward in determining whether this approach is both safe and effective … Continue reading CIRM-funded stem cell trial for retinitis pigmentosa makes progress
The Stem Cellar 