Three women with ties to CIRM featured in 2022 Women in Biopharma list 

Endpoints News released its 2022 Women in Biopharma list, which recognizes 20 of the top women leading biopharma research and development (R&D).   This year, the publication received more than 500 entries and selected 20 women “who have blazed trails and are still promising to reshape biopharma R&D for years to come.”  Many amazing finalists are … Continue reading Three women with ties to CIRM featured in 2022 Women in Biopharma list 

Teaching stem cells to play video games

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Pong video game Back when I was growing up, shortly after the extinction of the dinosaurs, there was a popular video game called Pong. It was, in fact, pretty much the only video game at the time. It was a pretty simple game. You moved a “paddle” … Continue reading Teaching stem cells to play video games

Lung cancer, Sherlock Holmes and piano

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIOCAST ON SPOTIFY Image of lung cancer When we think of lung cancer we typically tend to think it’s the end result of years of smoking cigarettes. But, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 10 and 20 percent of cases of lung cancer (20,000 … Continue reading Lung cancer, Sherlock Holmes and piano

A rare chance to help those in need

Recently the CIRM Board voted to support the creation of a Rare Disease Advisory Council (RDAC) in California. An RDAC is an advisory body providing a platform for the rare community to have a stronger voice in state government. They address the needs of rare patients and families by giving stakeholders an opportunity to make … Continue reading A rare chance to help those in need

CIRM Bridges program prepared student for research of a rare disease

Ian Blong, Ph.D., CIRM San Francisco State University Bridges to Stem Cell Research Alumnus Recently, The New York Times released a powerful article that tells the stories of four different families navigating the challenges of having a family member with a rare disease. One of these stories focused on Matt Wilsey, a tech entrepreneur and … Continue reading CIRM Bridges program prepared student for research of a rare disease

Don’t believe everything you read

(PRNewsfoto/Deseret News) The Deseret News is Utah's oldest continuously published daily newspaper. It has a big readership too, with the largest Sunday circulation in the state and the second largest daily circulation. That’s why when they publish paid advertisements that look like serious news articles it can be misleading, even worse. This week the Deseret … Continue reading Don’t believe everything you read

Capturing an image of blood stem cells

Image of a blood stem cell in its natural environment: Photo courtesy UC Merced UC Merced’s Professor Joel Spencer and his team developed a way of capturing an image of blood stem cells or image of blood stem cells inside their niche in the bone marrow. “Everyone knew black holes existed, but it took until … Continue reading Capturing an image of blood stem cells

An off-the-shelf cancer killer

iPS Cell: Photo from the lab of Kathrin Plath at UCLA One of the hottest areas in cancer research right now is the use of CAR-T treatments. These use the patient’s own re-engineered immune system cells to target and kill the tumor. But the thing that makes it so appealing – using the patient’s own … Continue reading An off-the-shelf cancer killer

Stem cell treatment restores man’s sight in right eye after 25 years

James O'Brien, recipient of a stem cell treatment that restored the vision in his right eye At 18 years old, there are several life-changing moments that young people look forward to. For some, it involves graduating from high school, starting college, and being able to cast a vote in an election. For others, this momentous … Continue reading Stem cell treatment restores man’s sight in right eye after 25 years

How stem cells know the right way to make a heart . And what goes wrong when they don’t

Gladstone scientists Deepak Srivastava (left), Yvanka De Soysa (center), and Casey Gifford (right) publish a complete catalog of the cells involved in heart development. The invention of GPS navigation systems has made finding your way around so much easier, providing simple instructions on how to get from point A to point B. Now, a new … Continue reading How stem cells know the right way to make a heart . And what goes wrong when they don’t