Breathing is something we take for granted. It’s automatic. We don’t need to think about it. But for people with pulmonary fibrosis, breathing is something that is always on their minds. Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a disease where the tissue in your lungs becomes thick and stiff, even scarred, making it difficult to breathe. It … Continue reading Failed stem cells may cause deadly lung disease
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
Seeing is Believing: New Video on the Power of Stem Cells
The world is full of skeptics. Remember when you first heard about self-driving cars? I’m sure that information was met with comments like, “When pigs fly!” or “I’ll believe it when I see it!” Well, it turns out that the best way to get people to believe something is possible, is to show them. And … Continue reading Seeing is Believing: New Video on the Power of Stem Cells
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: Horse patients, Brain cancer stem cells, and a Bony Heart
Horsing around at the World Stem Cell Summit The World Stem Cell Summit (WSCS) is coming up very shortly (December 6-9) in lovely downtown West Palm Beach, Florida. And this year it has an added attraction; horses. For my money the WSCS is the most enjoyable of the many conferences held around the US focusing … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: Horse patients, Brain cancer stem cells, and a Bony Heart
Stem cell agency funds clinical trials in three life-threatening conditions
A year ago the CIRM Board unanimously approved a new Strategic Plan for the stem cell agency. In the plan are some rather ambitious goals, including funding ten new clinical trials in 2016. For much of the last year that has looked very ambitious indeed. But today the Board took a big step towards reaching … Continue reading Stem cell agency funds clinical trials in three life-threatening conditions
Advancements in gene editing make blind rats see light
Gene editing is a rapidly advancing technology that scientists are using to manipulate the genomes of cells with precision and accuracy. Many of these experiments are being conducted on stem cells to genetic mutations in an attempt to find cures for various diseases like cancer, HIV and blindness. Speaking of blindness, researchers from the Salk Institute … Continue reading Advancements in gene editing make blind rats see light
Measuring depression with non-invasive imaging of new brain cells
For most of the 20th century, scientists thought you’re basically stuck with the brain cells you’re born with. “Everything may die, nothing may be regenerated”, is how Santiago Ramón y Cajal, the father of modern neuroscience, described nerve cells, aka neurons, in the adult brain. But, over the past few decades, it’s become clear that … Continue reading Measuring depression with non-invasive imaging of new brain cells
A new and improved method for making healthy heart tissue is here
Scientists from the Gladstone Institutes have done it again. They’ve made a better and faster way of generating healthy heart tissue in mice with damaged hearts. With further advancements, their findings could potentially be translated into a new way of treating heart failure in patients. Previously, the Gladstone team discovered that they could transform scar … Continue reading A new and improved method for making healthy heart tissue is here
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
With CRISPR-Cas9, Stanford Team Looks for Landslide Victory over Sickle Cell Disease
The results are in folks. Though it’s too early to declare a winner, it looks very likely that sickle cell disease is going to be soundly defeated by CRISPR-Cas9. Reporting in Nature on Monday, Stanford researchers devised a method to efficiently correct the sickle cell mutation in human blood stem cells using the super-popular, user-friendly … Continue reading With CRISPR-Cas9, Stanford Team Looks for Landslide Victory over Sickle Cell Disease
The Stem Cellar 