The DNA in our cells provide the instructions to make proteins, the workhorses of our body. Yet less than 2% of the 3 billion base pairs (the structural units of DNA) in each of our cells are actually involved in protein production. The rest, termed non-coding DNA for not being involved in protein production, has … Continue reading “Junk” DNA is development gold for the dividing embryo
The story behind the book about the Stem Cell Agency
WHY I WROTE “CALIFORNIA CURES” By Don C. Reed It was Wednesday, June 13th, 2018, the launch day for my new book, “CALIFORNIA CURES: How the California Stem Cell Research Program is Fighting Your Incurable Disease!” As I stood in front of the audience of scientists, CIRM staff members, patient advocates, I thought to myself, … Continue reading The story behind the book about the Stem Cell Agency
World Sickle Cell Day: Managing the disease today for tomorrow’s stem cell cures
Today is World Sickle Cell Day, a day to promote awareness about sickle cell disease (SCD), an inherited, chronic blood disorder which can cause severe pain, stroke, organ failure, and other complications, including death. Sadly, it’s estimated that this year 300,000 babies around the world will be born with SCD. To recognize World Sickle Cell … Continue reading World Sickle Cell Day: Managing the disease today for tomorrow’s stem cell cures
SCID kid scores big on TV
One of the stories I never tire of telling is about Evie Vaccaro. She’s the little girl who was born with a fatal immune condition called severe combined immunodeficiency or SCID. Children with this condition have no immune system, no protection against infections, and often die in the first two years of life. But thanks … Continue reading SCID kid scores big on TV
Fish umbrellas and human bone: protecting blood stem cells from the sun’s UV rays
Most people probably do not question the fact that human blood stem cells – those that give rise to all the cells in our blood – live inside the marrow of our bones, called a stem cell “niche”. But it is pretty odd when you stop to think about it. I mean, it makes sense … Continue reading Fish umbrellas and human bone: protecting blood stem cells from the sun’s UV rays
CIRM-funded medical research and development company does $150M deal to improve care for dialysis patients
Nearly half a million Americans with kidney disease are on dialysis, so it’s not surprising the CIRM Board had no hesitation, back in July 2016, in funding a program to make it easier and safer to get that life-saving therapy. That's why it’s gratifying to now hear that Humacyte, the company behind this new dialysis … Continue reading CIRM-funded medical research and development company does $150M deal to improve care for dialysis patients
School’s Out! Stem cells are in! High school students start CIRM-funded summer research internships.
Robotic engineering, coding, video game design, filmmaking, soccer and swimming: these are just a few of the many activities that are vying for the attention of high school students once school lets out for the summer. But a group of about 50 high schoolers in California have chosen a different path: they will be diving … Continue reading School’s Out! Stem cells are in! High school students start CIRM-funded summer research internships.
Can stem cells help people recovering from a stroke? You asked, and the experts answered
We recently held our first ever Facebook Live event. It was focused on the use of stem cells and recovery from a stroke and featured three great guests: Dr. Gary Steinberg, chief of Neurosurgery at Stanford, Sonia Coontz, a patient of Dr. Steinberg’s, and CIRM’s own Science Officer Dr. Lila Collins. We had an amazing … Continue reading Can stem cells help people recovering from a stroke? You asked, and the experts answered
Friday Stem Cell Roundup: Making Nerves from Blood; New Clues to Treating Parkinson’s
Stanford lab develops method to make nerve cells from blood. Back in 2010, Stanford Professor Marius Wernig and his team devised a method to directly convert skin cells into neurons, a nerve cell. This so-called transdifferentiation technique leapfrogs over the need to first reprogram the skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells. This breakthrough provided … Continue reading Friday Stem Cell Roundup: Making Nerves from Blood; New Clues to Treating Parkinson’s
Timing is a critical factor in kidney development
Through countless studies, it's clear that genes and environmental factors are important for determining cellular identity. Now, a research team at the University of Southern California (USC) have found that timing is another critical factor in determining cell fate during organ development. In findings published in Development Cell, Dr. Andy McMahon’s group shows that development … Continue reading Timing is a critical factor in kidney development
The Stem Cellar 