Veronica and Elliott Growing up, Veronica McDougall thought everyone saw the world the way she did: blurry, slightly out of focus, and with tunnel vision. As she got older, her sight got worse, and even the strongest prescription glasses didn’t help. When she was 15, her brother tried teaching her to drive. One night she … Continue reading How stem cells helped Veronica fight retinitis pigmentosa and regain her vision
Retinitis pigmentosa
Bespoke approach to rare diseases
Until recently, “bespoke” meant one thing to me: a custom suit from London’s Savile Row. They’re beautiful—and expensive—so I assumed I’d never own anything bespoke. A tailored approach I was wrong. CIRM is now part of a bespoke effort far more important than clothing. This group aims to create tailor‑made gene therapies for rare diseases. … Continue reading Bespoke approach to rare diseases
Study shows sleep deprivation impairs stem cells in the cornea
We spend around one third of our life sleeping—or at least we should. Not getting enough sleep can have serious consequences on many aspects of our health and has been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. A study by the American Sleep Apnea Association found that some 70 percent of Americans report getting … Continue reading Study shows sleep deprivation impairs stem cells in the cornea
Identifying the visually impaired patients most likely to benefit from jCyte’s stem cell therapy
We have written about jCyte many times on The Stem Cellar. For one reason, they are showing really encouraging results in their treatment for retinitis pigmentosa (RP). And now they have taken an even deeper dive into those results and identified which patients may be most likely to benefit from the therapy. RP is a … Continue reading Identifying the visually impaired patients most likely to benefit from jCyte’s stem cell therapy
Meet the people who are changing the future
Kristin MacDonald Every so often you hear a story and your first reaction is “oh, I have to share this with someone, anyone, everyone.” That’s what happened to me the other day. I was talking with Kristin MacDonald, an amazing woman, a fierce patient advocate and someone who took part in a CIRM-funded clinical trial … Continue reading Meet the people who are changing the future
Encouraging news for treatment targeting retinitis pigmentosa
In an Endpoints News article, jCyte CEO Paul Bresge explained the reasoning behind the approach. “We enrolled a broad patient population in our Phase IIb trial. Participants had vision ranging from 20/80 to 20/800. “We wanted to identify the patients most likely to respond to treatment.” The treatment group achieved better functional vision and greater … Continue reading Encouraging news for treatment targeting retinitis pigmentosa
A clear vision for the future
Dr. Henry Klassen and Dr. Jing Yang, founders of jCyte When you have worked with a group of people over many years the relationship becomes more than just a business venture, it becomes personal. That's certainly the case with jCyte, a company founded by Drs. Henry Klassen and Jing Yang, aimed at finding a cure … Continue reading A clear vision for the future
Helping the blind see – mice that is
When I first saw the headline for this story I thought of the nursery rhyme about the three blind mice. Finally, they’ll be able to see the farmer’s wife coming at them with a carving knife. But the real-world implications are of this are actually pretty exciting. Researchers at the National Institute of Health’s National … Continue reading Helping the blind see – mice that is
Encouraging Update on Clinical Trial for Retinitis Pigmentosa
Patients describe their experience as “stepping out of darkness into light” after joining a CIRM-funded clinical trial. The trial targets retinitis pigmentosa, or RP, a rare form of vision loss. Clinical trial jCyte, the company conducting the trial, announced 12 month results for its stem cell-based RP treatment. RP is a genetic disorder that affects … Continue reading Encouraging Update on Clinical Trial for Retinitis Pigmentosa
A Patient Advocate’s Personal Manifesto
Janni Lehrer-Stein was just 26 when she was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease and told she was going to be blind within six months. The doctor who gave her the news told her “But don’t worry, people like you are usually hit and killed by a bus long before they go completely blind.” At … Continue reading A Patient Advocate’s Personal Manifesto