Of the many sources of stem cells, most of us gain a bit of one of them as we age—fat. Unfortunately, a team at Moscow State University has quantified a long-term supposition in the field, that older stem cells, including fat stem cells, are not as good at doing their job as younger ones.Researchers and … Continue reading Older fat-derived stem cells shown to be less potent than younger stem cells

Hair follicleStem cells are a true double-edged sword when it comes to cancer. We need our tissue-specific stem cells to repair and replace tissue, but some of them develop into cancer causing cells. Now a CIRM-fundeed team at the University of California, Los Angeles has discovered a molecular switch that seems to keep stem cells, … Continue reading Gene that blocks skin stem cells from initiating cancer may provide key to prevention

Heart muscle precursors derived from embryonic stem cellsA few years ago Fred Lesikar suffered a major heart attack. He survived but his heart was badly damaged, so much so that even simple things like walking around the block left him exhausted.Then Fred took part in an experimental therapy, getting a transplant of some of his … Continue reading Why Hanging out with these people could be good for your heart

Kidney bud created from human stem cells (in blue and green). Cells in red are mouse kidney cells. Courtesy of the Salk Institute for Biological StudiesGrowing complex organs such as kidneys from stem cells is not easy, and neither is putting an advance in perspective without hypeAfter seeing several headlines in my newsfeed about a … Continue reading A perspective on growing kidneys from stem cells

Katie Jackson My husband just enrolled in his fourth clinical trial. It's part of the CIRM-funded UC Davis HD Pre-Cell trial. So far, the experience of being a part of this historical trial has been wonderful and over the coming months I will be chronicling our journey. I hope that through these chronicles the fears … Continue reading Katie’s Chronicles: Clinical trial for Huntington’s disease

Most people think of Board meetings as rather dry affairs. That’s certainly not the case with our governing Board, the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee, particularly when they are awarding more than $61 million in funding for diseases that have a devastating impact on people, and when some of those people are in the room to … Continue reading New Disease Team Awards drive therapies for cancers, vision loss, and sickle cell disease

This post originally appeared 12/06/13 on the Canadian Stem Cell Network's Signals blog. To be, or not to be, that is the question:Whether ’tis Nobler in the mind to sufferThe Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,And by opposing end themWe know this famous soliloquy from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, … Continue reading A Californian approach to working with patient advocates

Last week at the World Stem Cell Summit we asked attendees to let us know why they are stem cell champions.Sherry Hikita runs the CIRM-funded UC Santa Barbara stem cell laboratory and is part of a team working on a therapy for blindnessOur booth was overrun by scientists and patient advocates telling their stories, and … Continue reading Stem Cell Champions tell their stories

Cancers are difficult to kill completely. Even after tumors seem eradicated, they can come back months or years later. In fact, tumors are like zombies, noted CIRM grantee Robert Wechsler-Reya at the recent World Stem Cell Summit.“Zombies have this incredible tendency to just come back to life,” said Wechsler-Reya, who leads the Tumor Development Program … Continue reading Of zombies, hedgehogs, and stem cell-based cancer therapies

There is never a week that goes by when we at CIRM don’t get asked by someone battling a deadly disease if they should go to a clinic, usually overseas, for a stem cell therapy. It’s hard to just bluntly say “no” to someone who is running out of options and running out of time. … Continue reading Questions to ask before deciding to get a stem cell therapy