New Stem Cell Treatment for ALS May Slow Disease Progression

Exciting news was published this week that will give patients suffering from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, something to cheer about. The journal JAMA Neurology reported that a new stem cell treatment was successful in slowing disease progression in a small group of ALS patients in a Phase 2 clinical trial. This is … Continue reading New Stem Cell Treatment for ALS May Slow Disease Progression

Watch Spinal Cord Cells Take a Hike!

What exactly goes on inside the human body? If you asked this question to the children’s book character Ms. Frizzle, she would throw you into her Magic School Bus and take you on a wild ride “Inside the Human Body” to get you up close and personal with the different organs and structures within our … Continue reading Watch Spinal Cord Cells Take a Hike!

Throwback Thursday: Progress to a Cure for ALS

Welcome to our new “Throwback Thursday” (TBT) series. CIRM’s Stem Cellar blog has a rich archive of stem cell content that is too valuable to let dust bunnies take over.  So we decided to brush off some of our older, juicy stories and see what advancements in stem cell research science have been made since! … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: Progress to a Cure for ALS

CIRM-Funded Scientists Build a Better Neuron; Gain New Insight into Motor Neuron Disease

Each individual muscle in our body—no matter how large or how small—is controlled by several types of motor neurons. Damage to one or more types of these neurons can give rise to some of the most devastating motor neuron diseases, many of which have no cure. But now, stem cell scientists at UCLA have manufactured … Continue reading CIRM-Funded Scientists Build a Better Neuron; Gain New Insight into Motor Neuron Disease

2015 Golden Globes shines light on Alzheimer’s and ALS with acting awards

In between the one-liners, surprise presenters and bottomless champagne, something remarkable happened at last night’s 72nd Golden Globe Awards. 26 awards were given last night to the best in film and television. But two in particular were especially meaningful. I am referring, of course, to Julianne Moore and Eddie Redmayne, who each took home awards … Continue reading 2015 Golden Globes shines light on Alzheimer’s and ALS with acting awards

Disease in a Dish – That’s a Mouthful: Using Human Stem Cells to Find ALS Treatments

Saying “let’s put some shrimp on the barbie” will whet an Australian’s appetite for barbequed prawns but for an American it conjures up an odd image of placing shrimp on a Barbie doll. This sort of word play confusion doesn’t just happen across continents but also between scientists and the public. Take “disease in a … Continue reading Disease in a Dish – That’s a Mouthful: Using Human Stem Cells to Find ALS Treatments

A Cool New Way of Raising Funds and Awareness

Raising money to help fight a disease is tough. Trying to raise awareness about the disease can be just as tough. Doing both together is positively masochistic; an experience that is often as rewarding as dumping a bucket of ice cold water over your head. And that’s precisely what a growing number of people around … Continue reading A Cool New Way of Raising Funds and Awareness