Join us December 12th for our Facebook Live Event – Ask the Stem Cell Experts

Several weeks ago, we asked all of you to submit questions related to stem cell research in order to get them answered by experts in the field right here in our office. Your responses have been remarkable and we have gotten some really great questions we are excited to answer in live time. These questions … Continue reading Join us December 12th for our Facebook Live Event – Ask the Stem Cell Experts

Gene therapy gives patient a cure and a new lease on life

Brenden Whittaker (left), of Ohio, is a patient born with a rare genetic immune disease who was treated at the Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in a CIRM funded gene therapy trial. Dr. David Williams (on right) is Brenden's treating physician.Photo courtesy of Rose Lincoln - Harvard Staff Photographer Pursuing an education can … Continue reading Gene therapy gives patient a cure and a new lease on life

Targeted treatment for pediatric brain tumors shows promising results

Image of medulloblastoma Imagine sitting in the doctor's office and being told the heartbreaking news that your child has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. As one might expect, the doctor states that the most effective treatment option is typically a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. However, the doctor reveals that there are additional … Continue reading Targeted treatment for pediatric brain tumors shows promising results

Budgeting for the future of the stem cell agency

Budgets are very rarely exciting things; but they are important. For example, it’s useful for a family to know when they go shopping exactly how much money they have so they know how much they can afford to spend. Stem cell agencies face the same constraints; you can’t spend more than you have. Last week … Continue reading Budgeting for the future of the stem cell agency

Helping patient’s fight back against deadliest form of skin cancer

Caladrius Biosciences has been funded by CIRM to conduct a Phase 3 clinical trial to treat the most severe form of skin cancer: metastatic melanoma. Metastatic melanoma is a disease with no effective treatment, only around 15 percent of people with it survive five years, and every year it claims an estimated 10,000 lives in … Continue reading Helping patient’s fight back against deadliest form of skin cancer

Cell mate: the man who makes stem cells for clinical trials

When we announced that one of the researchers we fund - Dr. Henry Klassen at the University of California, Irvine - has begun his clinical trial to treat the vision-destroying disease retinitis pigmentosa, we celebrated the excitement felt by the researchers and the hope from people with the disease. But we missed out one group. … Continue reading Cell mate: the man who makes stem cells for clinical trials

Researchers cool to idea of ice bath after exercise

Have you ever had a great workout, really pushed your body and muscles hard and thought “You know what would be good right now? A nice plunge into an ice bath.” No. Me neither. But some people apparently believe that taking an ice bath after a hard workout can help their muscles rebound and get … Continue reading Researchers cool to idea of ice bath after exercise

Da Mayor and the clinical trial that could help save his vision

Former San Francisco Mayor and California State Assembly Speaker Willie Brown is many things, but shy is not one of them. A profile of him in the San Francisco Chronicle once described him as “Brash, smart, confident”. But for years Da Mayor – as he is fondly known in The City – said very little … Continue reading Da Mayor and the clinical trial that could help save his vision

Creativity sparks a bright future for science

When some people want to see the future they use a crystal ball. Others use tarot cards or runes. But when anyone at CIRM wants to see the future all we have to do is look into the faces of the students in our Creativity program. Over the past three years the Creativity program has … Continue reading Creativity sparks a bright future for science

Bridging the gap: training scientists to speak everyday English

Getting a start in your chosen career is never easy. Without experience it’s hard to get a job. And without a job you can’t get experience. That’s why the CIRM Bridges program was created, to help give undergraduate and Master’s level students a chance to get the experience they need to start a career in … Continue reading Bridging the gap: training scientists to speak everyday English