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
Hed: Stem cell stories that caught our eye: the why’s of heart failure, harnessing stem cells’ repair kits and growing organs
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. Stem cell model sheds light on heat failure. Pretty much everyone who has heart failure due to cardiomyopathy—where the heart muscle doesn’t work as effectively … Continue reading Hed: Stem cell stories that caught our eye: the why’s of heart failure, harnessing stem cells’ repair kits and growing organs
Holy Guacamole! Nutrient in Avocado Kills Cancer Stem Cells
Over four billion avocados were sold last year in the U.S. and for good reason – they're so darn delicious and good for you too (wish you could say the same for doughnuts). Often called the world's perfect food, avocados are high in fiber and packed with vitamins. Even the fat they contain is the … Continue reading Holy Guacamole! Nutrient in Avocado Kills Cancer Stem Cells
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
Neat trick grows two parts of the brain and gets them to communicate
Over the past year or so, teams around the world have reported using stem cells to make increasingly complex portions of the brain. Earlier this month we wrote about a team at Stanford who had grown “organoids” that simulated the brain’s cortex with both nerves and support cells that communicated back and forth with each … Continue reading Neat trick grows two parts of the brain and gets them to communicate
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?
Stem cell stories that caught our eye: Parkinson’s trial revived, aspirin kills cancer stem cells and a stem cell role in mother-child obesity
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. Parkinson’s clinical trials back on track. After nearly 20 years of being stuck on the clinical trial “bookshelf”, an international team from Cambridge, UK revived … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: Parkinson’s trial revived, aspirin kills cancer stem cells and a stem cell role in mother-child obesity
How one strong ARM can create a community
I spent the last two days at the annual Washington meeting of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), the advocacy organization that CIRM became a founding member of in 2009. Having been CIRM’s representative at that first organizing meeting it has been a pleasure to see the organization mature into an effective advocacy group for … Continue reading How one strong ARM can create a community
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
Building a Bridge to Therapies: Stem Cell-Derived Neurons Restore Feeling to Injured Limbs
It’s been a great week for spinal cord injury-related stem cell research – and it’s only Tuesday. In case you missed it, Asterias Biotherapeutics announced yesterday that they had treated their first clinical trial participant with an embryonic stem cell-based therapy for complete spinal cord injury. “Complete” refers to injuries that cause a total loss … Continue reading Building a Bridge to Therapies: Stem Cell-Derived Neurons Restore Feeling to Injured Limbs
The Stem Cellar 