The Link Between Air Pollution and Autism

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is supporting innovative research into neuro diseases, including a project examining how air pollution may contribute to autism. Through the Research using Multidisciplinary, Innovative approaches in Neuro Diseases (ReMIND) program, Stuart Lipton, MD, PhD, and co-investigators Tomo Nakamura, PhD, John Yates, PhD, Marisa Roberto, PhD, and Nik Schork, … Continue reading The Link Between Air Pollution and Autism

Exploring the Genetic Foundations of Autism and Gene Therapy Treatments

Principal investigator Alex Pollen, PhD, with his co-investigators and team of researchers. A UC San Franciscoโ€“led research team, supported by a $12.2 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), is exploring how stem cell and gene therapies could help treat neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism. The project is … Continue reading Exploring the Genetic Foundations of Autism and Gene Therapy Treatments

CIRM Funds new UCSD VERGE Center to Better Understand Schizophrenia and Autism

From top left to right: Anne Bang, PhD; Carrie Bearden, PhD; Eugene Yeo, PhD; Jonathan Sebat, PhD Bottom left to right: Alysson Moutri, PhD; Lilia Iakoucheva, PhD; Sรฉbastien Jacquemont; Trey Ideker, PhD  A team of UC San Diego researchers with support of a $12.5 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) plans … Continue reading CIRM Funds new UCSD VERGE Center to Better Understand Schizophrenia and Autism

Meet the man who is unlocking the secrets of autism and sending mini-brains into space

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Dr. Alysson Muotri, UC San Diego Normally if you meet someone who has a mini-fridge filled with brains, your first thought is to call the police. But when that someone is Dr. Alysson Muotri, a professor at U.C. San Diego, your second thought is โ€œdo tell … Continue reading Meet the man who is unlocking the secrets of autism and sending mini-brains into space

Ask the Stem Cell Team About Autism

On March 19th we held a special Facebook Live "Ask the Stem Cell Team About Autism" event. We were fortunate enough to have two great experts - Dr. Alysson Muotri from UC San Diego, and CIRM's own Dr. Kelly Shepard. As always there is a lot of ground to cover in under one hour and … Continue reading Ask the Stem Cell Team About Autism

Why “Ask the Stem Cell Team” Remains Important

These are definitely strange, unusual and challenging times. Every day seems to bring new restrictions on what we can and should do. All, of course, in the name of protecting us and helping us avoid a potentially deadly virus. We all hope this will soon pass but we also know the bigger impact of the … Continue reading Why “Ask the Stem Cell Team” Remains Important

You can bank on CIRM

Way back in 2013, the CIRM Board invested $32 million in a project to create an iPSC Bank. The goal was simple;  to collect tissue samples from people who have different diseases, turn those samples into high quality stem cell lines - the kind known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) - and create a … Continue reading You can bank on CIRM

Ask the Stem Cell Team About Autism

Do an online search for โ€œautism stem cellsโ€ and you quickly come up with numerous websites offering stem cell therapies for autism. They offer encouraging phrases like โ€œnew and effective approachโ€ and โ€œa real, lasting treatment.โ€ They even include dense scientific videos featuring people like Dr. Arnold Caplan, a professor at Case Western Reserve University … Continue reading Ask the Stem Cell Team About Autism

CIRM supported study finds that a gene associated with autism influences brain stem cells

Dr. Bennett Novitch, UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research CenterImage Credit: UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center In a previous blog post, we discussed new findings in a CIRM supported study at the Salk Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a developmental disorder that comes in broad ranges and primarily affects communication and behavior. This week, … Continue reading CIRM supported study finds that a gene associated with autism influences brain stem cells