Aaliyah Staples-West didn’t originally envision becoming a stem cell researcher. As a student at San Diego State University, she admits that she sometimes struggled with reading protocols or finishing experiments on time. She also was originally studying chemistry, a very distinct scientific field from regenerative medicine. But when she saw a post on Instagram about … Continue reading How this scientist changed paths to become a stem cell researcher
Sanford Consortium
CIRM Bridges intern researches stem cells to grow kidneys
David Anjakos in the lab. Photo courtesy Sarah White/SDSU. When he was younger, David Anjakos experienced kidney failure due to an autoimmune disease, leaving him without kidneys in his body. As a trainee in the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s Bridges to Stem Cell Research Internship Program, Anjakos is researching methods of growing organs for … Continue reading CIRM Bridges intern researches stem cells to grow kidneys
A grandmother’s legacy, a stem cell scientist
Emily Smith, CIRM Bridges student The California Institute for Regenerative (CIRM) has a number of education programs geared towards training the next generation of stem cell and gene therapy researchers. Each student comes to the program with their own motivation, their own reasons for wanting to be a scientist. This is Emily Smith's story. Surrounded … Continue reading A grandmother’s legacy, a stem cell scientist
U.C. San Diego Scientist Larry Goldstein Joins Stem Cell Agency’s Board
Larry Goldstein, PhD. Larry Goldstein PhD, has many titles, one of which sums up his career perfectly, “Distinguished Professor”. Dr. Goldstein has distinguished himself on many fronts, making him an ideal addition to the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Dr. Goldstein – everyone calls him Larry - is a Cell … Continue reading U.C. San Diego Scientist Larry Goldstein Joins Stem Cell Agency’s Board
A true Hall of Fame winner
Dr. Larry Goldstein: Photo courtesy UCSD You know you are working with some of the finest scientific minds in the world when they get elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences (NAS). It’s the science equivalent of the baseball, football or even Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. People only get in if their … Continue reading A true Hall of Fame winner
Stem Cell Stories That Caught Our Eye: Free Patient Advocate Event in San Diego, and new clues on how to fix muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease
Stem cell research is advancing so fast that it’s sometimes hard to keep up. That’s one of the reasons we have our Friday roundup, to let you know about some fascinating research that came across our desk during the week that you might otherwise have missed. Of course, another way to keep up with the … Continue reading Stem Cell Stories That Caught Our Eye: Free Patient Advocate Event in San Diego, and new clues on how to fix muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease
Pushing, pulling and dragging stem cell research forward
Government agencies are known for many things, but generally speaking a willingness to do some voluntary, deep self-examination is not one of them. However, for the last few weeks CIRM has been doing a lot of introspection as we develop a new Strategic Plan, a kind of road map for where we are heading. But … Continue reading Pushing, pulling and dragging stem cell research forward
Share your voice, shape our future
There is power in a single voice. I am always reminded of that whenever I meet a patient advocate and hear them talk about the need for treatments and cures – and not just for their particular disease but for everyone. The passion and commitment they display in advocating for more research funding reflects the … Continue reading Share your voice, shape our future