The race to cure sickle cell disease

September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, a time to refocus our efforts to find new treatments, even a cure, for people with sickle cell disease. Until we get those, CIRM remains committed to doing everything we can to reduce the stigma and bias that surrounds it. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a rare, inherited … Continue reading The race to cure sickle cell disease

Raising awareness about mental health

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIOCAST ON SPOTIFY World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year. It's a time to try and raise awareness about mental health issues and the impact they have not just on the individual but their family, their community and all of us. The theme for … Continue reading Raising awareness about mental health

Measuring depression with non-invasive imaging of new brain cells

For most of the 20th century, scientists thought you’re basically stuck with the brain cells you’re born with. “Everything may die, nothing may be regenerated”, is how Santiago Ramón y Cajal, the father of modern neuroscience, described nerve cells, aka neurons, in the adult brain. But, over the past few decades, it’s become clear that … Continue reading Measuring depression with non-invasive imaging of new brain cells