Image Credit: Canva - studioroman Often, after decades of intensive scientific research, even the most promising potential new therapies come down to a critical final phase: courageous people stepping forward to participate in a clinical trial. For Clinical Trials Day this year, we're celebrating a few of the many patients who inspire us, while highlighting … Continue reading What We Wish People Knew About Clinical Trials
patients
On a mission: A conversation with CIRM Board Vice Chair Maria Gonzalez Bonneville
Maria Gonzalez Bonneville is dedicated to improving health in California through her roles at the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Since joining in 2011, she focuses on making therapies accessible and affordable. Her personal connection to Parkinson's disease drives her mission, alongside her extensive political and scientific expertise.
First therapy supported by CIRM approved by the FDA
Image Credit: Canva stock images After 21 years (and a few months), the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has hit a major milestone with its FDA approved therapy. The promise of stem cells In 2004, when California voters created CIRM to fund research with stem cells, which can divide to form many different tissues in the body. Stem cells held great potential, but scientists … Continue reading First therapy supported by CIRM approved by the FDA
CIRM funded clinical trial gives siblings a second chance at life
written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Image Credit: The Langenhop Family Alicia Langenhop was seven months pregnant with her third child when she and her husband, Jon, learned that their two toddlers had a life-threatening immune disease called leukocyte adhesion deficiency-1 (LAD-1). One in a million LAD-1 is extremely rare—about one in a million births—but because … Continue reading CIRM funded clinical trial gives siblings a second chance at life
Early-stage research could benefit those with genetic diseases
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Image Credit: Audrey Davidow－Calvin outside Wanting the best for your child is a universal experience, and Audrey Davidow wanted her baby to have a bright future full of possibility. But in March of 2012, her 13-month-old son Calvin was diagnosed with a rare disease called Pitt Hopkins Syndrome, and she … Continue reading Early-stage research could benefit those with genetic diseases
A conversation with CIRM board member Yael Wyte
Written by Holly Alyssa MacCormick Yael Wyte knows all too well how difficult it can be to have or care for someone with Alzheimer’s Disease—she has been working with and advocating for people with Alzheimer's Disease for more than 20 years. Earlier this year, Wyte joined the board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine … Continue reading A conversation with CIRM board member Yael Wyte
A patient’s journey with an epilepsy stem cell therapy
Justin Graves diving by the Grand Cayman Islands In 2007, Justin Graves was working at a SCUBA shop in Louisville, Kentucky, when he had his first epileptic seizure. "SCUBA diving has just been something I've loved my whole life," he said. "My whole family loves it." Medication not always effective Justin had to give up … Continue reading A patient’s journey with an epilepsy stem cell therapy
Breaking barriers in rare disease: A gene therapy transforms cystinosis treatment
A 12 year-old Kurt Gillenberg. Photo courtesy of Kurt Gillenberg. When Kurt Gillenberg was 10 months old, his parents knew something wasn’t right. But it wasn’t until he reached 18 months that they found a doctor at the University of California, San Diego, who diagnosed Kurt with cystinosis – a rare genetic, metabolic defect that … Continue reading Breaking barriers in rare disease: A gene therapy transforms cystinosis treatment
The Stem Cellar’s Most Read Blogs of 2024
2024 was a significant year for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). We reached major milestones, celebrated our 20th anniversary, and introduced our Strategic Allocation Framework (SAF) impact goals. We did this all while continuing to fund innovative work in regenerative medicine. The Stem Cellar blog is where we share these stories, providing readers … Continue reading The Stem Cellar’s Most Read Blogs of 2024
Potential Gene Therapy for Children with ADA-SCID
Photo Courtesy of Andrea Fernandez de Soto Imagine stepping outside and facing life‑threatening danger. For children born with ADA‑SCID (adenosine deaminase severe combined immunodeficiency), this is daily life. Their immune systems are so weak that a cold or a scraped knee can cause a dangerous infection. Donald Kohn, MD, a leading researcher at the UCLA … Continue reading Potential Gene Therapy for Children with ADA-SCID