Eurostemcell

It’s hard to be modest when people keep telling you how good you are

/ Kevin McCormack / 2 Comments

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST

I have a confession. Deep down I’m shallow. So when something I am part of is acknowledged as one of the best, I delight in it (my fellow bloggers Katie and Esteban also delight in it, I am just more shameless about letting everyone know.)

And that is just what happened with this blog, The Stem Cellar. We have been named as one of the “22 best biology and stem cell blogs of 2022”. And not just by anyone. We were honored by Dr. Paul Knoepfler, a stem cell scientist, avid blogger and all-round renaissance man (full disclosure, Paul is a recipient of CIRM funding but that has nothing to do with this award. Obviously.)

We are particularly honored to be on the list because Paul includes some heavy hitters including The Signals Blog, a site that he describes this way:

“This one from our friends in Canada is fantastic. They literally have dozens of authors, which is probably the most of any stem cell-related website, and their articles include many interesting angles. They post really often too. I might rank Signal and The Stem Cellar as tied for best stem cell blog in 2021.”

Now I’m really blushing.

Other highly regarded blogs are EuroStemCell, the Mayo Clinic Regenerative Medicine Blog and Stem Cell Battles (by Don Reed, a good friend of CIRM’s)

Another one of the 22 is David Jensen’s California Stem Cell report which is dedicated to covering the work of, you guessed it, CIRM. So, not only are we great bloggers, we are apparently great to blog about. 

As a further demonstration of my modesty I wanted to point out that Paul regularly produces ‘best of’ lists, including his recent “50 influencers on stem cells on Twitter to follow” which we were also on.

Tipping our hat to the good guys (& gals)

/ Kevin McCormack / Leave a comment

A search on Google using the term “stem cell blogs” quickly produces a host of sites offering treatments for everything from ankle, hip and knee problems, to Parkinson’s disease and asthma. Amazingly the therapies for those very different conditions all use the same kind of cells produced in the same way. It’s like magic. Sadly, it’s magic that is less hocus pocus and more bogus bogus.

The good news is there are blogs out there (besides us, of course) that do offer good, accurate, reliable information about stem cells. The people behind them are not in this to make a quick buck selling snake oil. They are in this to educate, inform, engage and enlighten people about what stem cells can, and cannot do.

So, here’s some of our favorites.

The Niche

This blog has just undergone a face lift and is now as colorful and easy to read as it is informative. It bills itself as the longest running stem cell blog around. It’s run by UC Davis stem cell biologist Dr. Paul Knoepfler – full disclosure, we have funded some of Paul’s work – and it’s a constant source of amazement to me how Paul manages to run a busy research lab and post regular updates on his blog.

The power of The Niche is that it’s easy for non-science folk – like me – to read and understand without having to do a deep dive into Google search or Wikipedia. It’s well written, informative and often very witty. If you are looking for a good website to check whether some news about stem cells is real or suspect, this is a great place to start.

Stem Cell Battles

This site is run by another old friend of CIRM’s, Don Reed. Don has written extensively about stem cell research in general, and CIRM in particular. His motivation to do this work is clear. Don says he’s not a doctor or scientist, he’s something much simpler:

“No. I am just a father fighting for his paralyzed son, and the only way to fix him is to advance cures for everyone. Also, my mother died of breast cancer, my sister from leukemia, and I myself am a prostate cancer survivor. So, I have some very personal reasons to support the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine and to want state funding for stem cell and other regenerative medicine research to continue in California!”

The power of Don’s writing is that he always tells human stories, real tales about real people. He makes everything he does accessible, memorable and often very funny. If I’m looking for ways to explain something complex and translate it into everyday English, I’ll often look at Don’s work, he knows how to talk to people about the science without having their eyes cloud over.

A Closer Look at Stem Cells

This is published by the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), the leading professional organization for stem cell scientists. You might expect a blog from such a science-focused organization to be heavy going for the ordinary person, but you’d be wrong.

A Closer Look at Stem Cells is specifically designed for people who want to learn more about stem cells but don’t have the time to get a PhD. They have sections explaining what stem cells are, what they can and can’t do, even a glossary explaining different terms used in the field (I used to think the Islets of Langerhans were small islands off the coast of Germany till I went to this site).

One of the best, and most important, parts of the site is the section on clinical trials, helping people understand what’s involved in these trials and the kinds of things you need to consider before signing up for one.

Signals

Of course, the US doesn’t have a monopoly on stem cell research and that’s reflected in the next two choices. One is the Signals Blog from our friends to the north in Canada. This is an easy-to-read site that describes itself as the “Insiders perspective on the world of stem cells and regenerative medicine.” The ‘Categories ‘dropdown menu allows you to choose what you want to read, and it gives you lots of options from the latest news to a special section for patients, even a section on ethical and legal issues. 

EuroStemCell

As you may have guessed from the title this is by our chums across the pond in Europe. They lay out their mission on page one saying they want to help people make sense of stem cells:

“As a network of scientists and academics, we provide independent, expert-reviewed information and road-tested educational resources on stem cells and their impact on society. We also work with people affected by conditions, educators, regulators, media, healthcare professionals and policymakers to foster engagement and develop material that meets their needs.”

True to their word they have great information on the latest research, broken down by different types of disease, different types of stem cell etc. And like CIRM they also have some great educational resources for teachers to use in the classroom.

Unfolding Collaboration: New EuroStemCell video about promoting public engagement around stem cells

/ Karen Ring / Leave a comment

What does origami have to do with stem cells? Scientists at EuroStemCell, which is a partnership of more than 400 stem cell labs across Europe, are using origami and other creative activities to engage and educate the public about stem cells.

EuroStemCell’s goal is to “make sense of stem cells” by providing “expert-reviewed information and road-tested educational resources on stem cells and their impact on society.” Their educational resource page is rich with science experiments for kids, students and even adults. They also have science videos on topics ranging from what stem cells are to bioengineering body parts.

Unfolding Organogenesis

Recently EuroStemCell posted a video about how successful public engagement activities are based on strong collaborations between scientists, doctors, educators and communicators. This video was particularly powerful because it showed how good ideas can start from an individual, but great ideas happen when individuals work together to develop these initial ideas into activities that will really connect with their audience.

The video features Dr. Cathy Southworth who begins by telling the story of how she and her collaborators developed an origami activity called “Unfolding Organogenesis”. Southworth explains her rationale behind using paper to simulate how stem cells develop the tissues and organs in our body.

“I was mulling how to use a prop or activity to talk about stem cells, and it suddenly came to me that paper and origami is a bit like the process. The whole idea of starting from a blank slate. Depending on the instructions you follow, makes a different object. If you start with a stem cell, you can make any type of cell you find in the body. And that made me think it was quite a nice analogy to talk to the public about.”

Her initial idea was made a reality when Southworth began working with science and math educators Karen Jent and Tung Ken Lam. Together the team developed an interactive activity where people used paper to build 3D hearts that can actually beat.

Ken Lam making organ origami.

Southworth said that as a science communicator, educating the public is the focus of her work. But she also believes that educating scientists on how to communicate with the public effectively is equally important.

“Part of my job is to make sure that the scientists feel confident in the activities that they are going to deliver, and also that they are having a good time as part of the engagement work.”

The video also touches on important science communications tips like teaching scientists the art of storytelling. Southworth emphasized that having scientists talk about their personal story of why they are pursuing their research adds a human component that is key to connecting with their audience. Karen Jent also added that it’s important to understand your audience and their needs,

“You always have to think about what kind of audience you’re addressing and bear in mind that people aren’t all the same kinds of learners.”

Where are my stem cells?

CIRM is also dedicated to educating the public about stem cells and the importance of stem cell research. We have our own educational resources on our website, but we love to use materials from other organizations like EuroStemCell in our public engagement activities.

One of our favorite public engagement events is the Bay Area Science Festival Discovery Day held at AT&T park. This event attracts over 50,000 people, mainly young kids and their parents who are excited to learn about science and technology. At our booth, we’ve done a few different activities to teach kids about stem cells. One activity, which is great for young kids, is using Play-Doh to model embryonic development.

Teaching kids about embryonic development with Play-Doh! Photo: Todd Dubnicoff/CIRM

Another fun activity, this one developed by EuroStemCell, that we added last year was called “Where are my stem cells?”. It’s a game that teaches people that stem cells aren’t just found in the developing embryo. You’re given laminated cutouts of human organs and tissues, which you’re asked to place on a white board that has an outline of your body. While you are doing this, you learn that there are different types of adult stem cells that live in these tissues and organs and are responsible for creating the cells that make up those structures.

Where are your stem cells? A fun activity designed by EuroStemCell. Photo: Todd Dubnicoff/CIRM

If you’re interested in doing public engagement activities around stem cell education, the resources mentioned in this blog are a great start. I’d also recommend checking out the Super Cells, Power of Stem Cells exhibit, which is touring Europe, USA and Canada. It’s a wonderful interactive exhibit that explains the concept of stem cells and how they can be used to understand and treat disease. It’s also a great example of a collaboration between stem cell organizations including CIRM, CCRM, EuroStemCell, Catapult Cell Therapy and the Stem Cell Network.

We got a chance to check out the Super Cells exhibit last year when it visited the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley. You can read more about it and see pictures in our blog.

Super Cells Exhibit. Photo: Todd Dubnicoff/CIRM

 

Super stem cell exhibit opens in San Diego

/ Kevin McCormack / Leave a comment

Stem cell exhibit

The best science museums are like playgrounds. They allow you to wander around, reading, watching and learning and being amazed as you go. It’s not just a feast for the mind; it’s also fun for the hands.  You get to interact with and experience science, pushing buttons, pulling levers, watching balls drop and electricity spark.

The best science museums bring out the kid in all of us.

This Saturday a really great science museum is going to be host to a really great exhibition. The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in San Diego is the first stop on a California tour for “Super Cells: The Power of Stem Cells”. The exhibit is coming here fresh from a successful tour of Canada and the UK.

The exhibit is a “hands-on” educational display that demonstrates the importance and the power of stem cells, calling them “our body’s master cells.” It uses animations, touch-screen displays, videos and stunning images to engage the eyes and delight the brain.

stem cell exhibit 2Each of the four sections focuses on a different aspect of stem cell research, from basic explanations about what a stem cell is, to how they change and become all the different cells in our body. It has a mini laboratory so visitors can see how research is done; it even has a “treatment” game where you get to implant and grow cells in the eye, to see if you can restore sight to someone who is blind.

 

In a news release the Fleet Science Center celebrated the role that stem cells play in our lives:

“Stem cells are important because each of us is the result of only a handful of tiny stem cells that multiply to produce the 200 different types of specialized cells that exist in our body. Our stem cells continue to be active our whole lives to keep us healthy. Without them we couldn’t survive for more than three hours!”

It is, in short, really fun and really cool.

Of course we might be a tad biased here as we helped produce and develop the exhibit in collaboration with the Sherbrooke Museum of Science and Nature in Canada, the Canadian Stem Cell Network, the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine in Canada; the Cell Therapy Catapult in the UK, and EuroStemCell.

stem cell exhibit 3

The exhibit is tri-lingual (English, Spanish and French) because our goal was to create a multi-lingual global public education program. San Diego was an obvious choice for the first stop on the California tour (with LA and the Bay Area to follow) because it is one of the leading stem cell research hubs in the U.S., and a region where CIRM has invested almost $380 million over the last ten years.

As our CIRM Board Chair, Jonathan Thomas, said:

“One of our goals at CIRM is to help spread awareness for the importance of stem cell research. San Diego is an epicenter of stem cell science and having this exhibition displayed at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is a wonderful opportunity to engage curious science learners of all ages.”

The Super Cells exhibit runs from January 23 to May 1, 2016, in the Main Gallery of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. The exhibition is included with the cost of Fleet admission.

For more information, visit the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center website.