Gene Therapy Brings Hope to Families Affected by Rare Immune Disorder

Photo Courtesy of Andrea Fernandez de Soto Imagine a life where every time you step outside, everything in your environment poses a life-threatening risk. For children born with ADA-SCID (adenosine deaminase severe combined immunodeficiency), this is a reality. Their immune systems are so compromised that a common cold or a simple scrape on the knee … Continue reading Gene Therapy Brings Hope to Families Affected by Rare Immune Disorder

Two CIRM-funded research projects receive RMAT designation from FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation to two research projects funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). RMAT is a fast-track designation that can help speed up the development, review, and potential approval of treatments for serious or life-threatening diseases. The first RMAT designation … Continue reading Two CIRM-funded research projects receive RMAT designation from FDA

CIRM Showcases Strategic Vision and New Initiatives at 7th Annual Alpha Clinics Network Symposium 

Leveraging CIRM Infrastructure to Improve Accessibility Panel - From left to right: Noah Federman, MD (moderator), Catriona Jamieson, MD, PhD, Mehrdad Abedi, MD, Daniela Bota, MD, PhD, Thomas Buchanan, MD, Brian Fury, MS, Dhruv Sareen, PhD, and Taby Ahsan, PhD The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) recently sponsored the 7th Annual CIRM Alpha Clinics … Continue reading CIRM Showcases Strategic Vision and New Initiatives at 7th Annual Alpha Clinics Network Symposium 

From Undergraduate to Hero: Solano Student’s Life-Saving Bone Marrow Match Begins with One Swab

SCC student and CIRM trainee Jose Solorio donated bone marrow to save an 11-year-old patient's life in New York. In a remarkable display of compassion and scientific collaboration, Solano Community College (SCC) student Jose Solorio, a scholar in the college's biomanufacturing bachelor's program, has become a real-life hero. Through Solano’s partnership with the National Marrow … Continue reading From Undergraduate to Hero: Solano Student’s Life-Saving Bone Marrow Match Begins with One Swab

Gene therapy trial tests cancer-killing virus in brain tumors 

Dr. Noriyuki Kasahara from UCSF has been awarded $11.8 million by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to target newly diagnosed high-grade gliomas. This groundbreaking clinical trial aims to treat high-grade gliomas, one of the most challenging brain cancers to manage.   These aggressive cancers develop in the brain or spinal cord and are notoriously … Continue reading Gene therapy trial tests cancer-killing virus in brain tumors 

CIRM Joins #GoGold Childhood Cancer Awareness Campaign

Photo courtesy of Stanford Medicine September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is joining the campaign to #GoGold to raise awareness about childhood cancers and highlight our commitment to funding childhood cancer research.   The Impact of Childhood Cancer  Cancer remains the number one cause of death by disease for … Continue reading CIRM Joins #GoGold Childhood Cancer Awareness Campaign

CIRM board member Ysabel Duron appointed to National Cancer Advisory Board by President Biden

Ysabel Duron is an award-winning journalist, patient advocate, cancer survivor and board member of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).  Her list of achievements continues to grow, as President Biden has appointed Duron to National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB), which plays an important role in setting the course for the national cancer research program.  … Continue reading CIRM board member Ysabel Duron appointed to National Cancer Advisory Board by President Biden

Investing in CAR T-cell therapy to treat cancer

Photo credit: UC Regents  The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is investing $4 million to support Dr. William Murphy and UC Davis researchers to develop and test a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy to treat various B-cell malignancies, ranging from lymphomas to leukemias.  In this Q&A—courtesy of UC Davis Health—Dr. Murphy discusses the importance of T-cell therapy and its implications … Continue reading Investing in CAR T-cell therapy to treat cancer

Funding development of a vaccine for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)

Dr. Karin Gaensler. Photo credit: Steve Babuljak/UCSF Adult acute myelogenous leukemia—also known as acute myeloid leukemia (AML)—is a blood cancer in which the bone marrow makes a large number of abnormal blood cells.  About 20,000 new cases of AML are diagnosed each year in the US with a 5-year survival rate of around 29%. In … Continue reading Funding development of a vaccine for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)

CIRM funds clinical trial to make cancer therapy safer, less toxic

Blood stem cell transplantation following high dose chemotherapy is standard of care and potentially curative for aggressive forms of lymphoma. However, this treatment regimen is limited by severe toxicity and life-threatening complications due to delayed recovery of the blood system and vascular related damage of multiple organs. Today the governing Board of the California Institute … Continue reading CIRM funds clinical trial to make cancer therapy safer, less toxic