THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses a person's own immune system to fight cancer. It comes in a variety of forms including targeted antibodies, cancer vaccines, and adoptive cell therapies. While immunotherapies have revolutionized the treatment of aggressive cancers in recent decades, they must be created … Continue reading One step closer to making ‘off-the-shelf’ immune cell therapy for cancer a reality
immunotherapy
Using a stem cell’s journey to teach kids science
THIS BLOG CAN ALSO BE HEARD AS AN AUDIOCAST ON SPOTIFY As far as Aldo Pourchet is concerned you are never too young to learn about stem cells. Aldo should know. He’s a molecular and cellular biologist and the co-founder and CEO of Omios Bio, which develops immunotherapies for cancer, infectious and inflammatory diseases. Aldo … Continue reading Using a stem cell’s journey to teach kids science
Byron’s story
Bryon Jenkin’s is one of the people we profiled in our recent 18 Month Report. The theme of the report is “Perseverance” and Byron certainly epitomizes that. This is his story. Photo of Byron Jenkins - hand on the plane - in his Navy fighter pilot days A former Navy flight officer and accomplished athlete … Continue reading Byron’s story
Scientists develop immune evading pancreas organoids to treat type 1 diabetes
By Stephen Lin, PhD., CIRM Senior Science Officer A diabetic child is checking her blood sugar level (self glycaemia). Type 1 diabetes affects millions of people. It is a disease where beta islet cells in the pancreas are targeted by the body’s own immune system, destroying the ability to produce insulin. Without insulin, the body … Continue reading Scientists develop immune evading pancreas organoids to treat type 1 diabetes
Stem Cell Agency invests in stem cell therapies targeting sickle cell disease and solid cancers
Today CIRM’s governing Board invested almost $10 million in stem cell research for sickle cell disease and patients with solid cancer tumors. Clinical trial for sickle cell disease City of Hope was awarded $5.74 million to launch a Phase 1 clinical trial testing a stem cell-based therapy for adult patients with severe sickle cell disease … Continue reading Stem Cell Agency invests in stem cell therapies targeting sickle cell disease and solid cancers
CIRM-Funded Scientist is Developing a Stem Cell Therapy that Could Cure HIV
This week, UCLA scientist Scott Kitchen made the news for his efforts to develop a CIRM-funded stem cell gene therapy that could potentially cure patients infected with HIV. Kitchen’s work was profiled in the Daily Beast, which argued that his “research could significantly up survival rates from the virus.” Kitchen and a team of scientists … Continue reading CIRM-Funded Scientist is Developing a Stem Cell Therapy that Could Cure HIV
Harnessing the body’s immune system to tackle cancer
Often on the Stem Cellar we write about work that is in a clinical trial. But getting research to that stage takes years and years of dedicated work. Over the next few months, we are profiling some of the scientists we fund who are doing Discovery (early stage) and Translational (pre-clinical) research, to highlight the … Continue reading Harnessing the body’s immune system to tackle cancer
Scientists find switch that targets immunotherapies to solid tumors
Cancer immunotherapies harness the power of the patient’s own immune system to fight cancer. One type of immunotherapy, called adoptive T cell therapy, uses immune cells called CD8+ Killer T cells to target and destroy tumors. These T cells are made in the spleen and lymph nodes and they can migrate to different locations in … Continue reading Scientists find switch that targets immunotherapies to solid tumors
CIRM-Funded Research Makes Multiple Headlines this Week
When it rains it pours. This week, multiple CIRM-funded studies appeared in the news, highlighting the exciting progress our Agency is making towards funding innovative stem cell research and promoting the development of promising stem cell therapies for patients. Below are highlights. Fate Therapeutics Partners with UC San Diego to Develop Cancer Immunotherapy Last week, … Continue reading CIRM-Funded Research Makes Multiple Headlines this Week
Genetically engineered immune cells melt away deadly brain tumors
Cancers come in many different forms. Some are treatable if caught early and other aren’t. One of the most deadly types of cancers are glioblastomas - a particularly aggressive form of brain tumor. Patients diagnosed with glioblastoma have an average life expectancy of 12-15 months and there is no cure or effective treatment that extends … Continue reading Genetically engineered immune cells melt away deadly brain tumors
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