A unique, shape-shifting property—previously only identified in man-made materials—has been discovered to also exist in stem cells. In a study published on Sunday in the journal Nature Materials, scientists at the University of Cambridge, UK, describe a strange event that occurred when observing the physical changes that occur as stem cells grow and mature into … Continue reading Shape-Shifting Stem Cells Could Inform New Wave of Absorbent Technologies

There are many different types of cells in the human body, but they all have something in common: housed within each is the complete set of genetic instructions, our genome, that give us life. It turns out that what makes cells different—what guides a blood cell to become a blood cell—depends on which parts of … Continue reading Stanford Researchers Develop New Technique that can Map a Cell’s Genetic ‘Blueprint’

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. A modest advance in therapeutic cloning. This week a Korean team announced that they had used the same techniques used by an Oregon team just … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: therapeutic cloning, growing nerves and reprogramming cells.

Guest blogger Sergio Pistoi served with me on the Public Education Committee of the International Society for Stem Cell Research and in 1998 was a fellow in a science journalist fellowship program I directed at Harvard Med School. He writes for many major publications and consults with scientist on communicating their work. In the latter … Continue reading Is the ability of European scientists to work with human embryonic stem cells being jeopardized by DIY (do it yourself) communication

In a move that takes stem cell-based therapies for spinal cord injury one step closer in the long march from the lab bench to routine clinic use, StemCells, Inc., today announce that they have completed enrollment in a clinical trial that aims to treat chronic spinal cord injury. This Phase I/II trial will evaluate the … Continue reading Dual Clinical Trial Announcements Offers New Hope for Treating Spinal Cord Injury

Dr. Mathew Blurton-Jones of U.C. Irvine: his new study may help open new approaches to Alzheimer'sThe Holy Grail of medical research is to find a cure for deadly diseases. But in the case of diseases like Alzheimer’s, where we don’t even have any truly effective treatments, any research that offers the potential of a new … Continue reading Genetically modified stem cells offer potential new path to treating Alzheimer’s disease

The parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) rank high in number among the desperate calls that come to CIRM wanting to know about stem cell therapies offered on the internet. They don’t like to hear that we have very little information suggesting benefit from stem cells in these kids and that there is little … Continue reading A placebo-controlled trial in cerebral palsy might unlock some answers for parents

Entrepreneurs and researchers are finding new sources to cross the "valley of death" funding gap. Neil Littman is the Business Development Officer at CIRMIn February I gave a talk at the Phaciliate Conference in Washington D.C. entitled Bridging the Funding Gap: Non-Profit and Industry Collaborations, CIRM’s Perspective. Phacilitate is an annual conference focused on the … Continue reading Changing landscape of funding stem cell therapies: not just a venture capitalist’s game

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. Attack on cancer stem cell advancing with a broad aim. Most of the advances in cancer in recent years require matching very specific therapies to … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: cancer therapy with broad aim, lupus and politics again

Get in that wheel and exercise little guy; it's good for your brain.We have long known the brain is not static. Parts of it change and become stronger in response to being stimulated. This “plasticity” as it is called, is generally attributed to changes in the nerves themselves. But a CIRM-funded Stanford team now has … Continue reading Living proof exercising the brain helps it function, provides clues to improving stem cell therapy