By Emily Moskal In her first year as a newborn, Christelle Salomon was diagnosed with sickle cell disease. The fact that, as a baby, Salomon would only stop crying from pain at the peak of a swing on the swing set tipped off one of her six siblings to the debilitating illness that Salomon would … Continue reading Cured of sickle cell disease, Christelle Salomon builds trust in clinical trials
Only three years ago, the FDA approved the first gene therapies for sickle cell disease (Lyfgenia and Casvegy), historic breakthroughs decades in the making. Yet on World Sickle Cell Awareness Day this year, the reality is that high cost, limited availability, and complex logistics keep these treatments out of reach for most people who need them. Yet these breakthroughs offer tremendous hope. For many years, the … Continue reading Progress on Sickle Cell Disease Treatments
Photo Credit: Jaquell Chandler Evie Junior was born with sickle cell disease, a life-threatening condition that affects around 100,000 Americans, most of them Black and Latino. People with sickle cell disease have blood cells that are shaped like a hook (or sickle) rather than smooth and round, which can create clogs, causing intense pain, organ … Continue reading Tackling sickle cell disease from within
CIRM has launched “Championing Change for Sickle Cell in California,” a campaign to raise awareness of sickle cell disease and support research aimed at improving treatment options. More on sickle cell More than 100,000 Americans and 20 million people worldwide live with this debilitating condition. CIRM is committed to funding advanced cell and gene therapy … Continue reading State agency launches ‘Championing Change for Sickle Cell in California’ campaign
September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, a time to refocus our efforts on finding new treatments, and even a cure, for people with sickle cell disease. Until we do, CIRM remains committed to doing everything we can to reduce the stigma and bias surrounding it. More on sickle cell disease Sickle cell disease (SCD) … Continue reading The race to cure sickle cell disease
Today marks two significant events for the Black community. June 19th is celebrated as Juneteenth, the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure that the enslaved people there were free. That moment came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law. June 19th is also … Continue reading Two reasons to remember June 19th
Ronnie with his parents Pawash Priyank and Upasana Thakur. Since its launch in 2004, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has been a leader in growing the stem cell and regenerative medicine field while keeping the needs of patients at the core of its mission. To date, CIRM has: Advanced stem cell research and therapy development for … Continue reading CIRM-funded stem cell clinical trial patients: Where are they now?
LISTEN TO AN AUDIO VERSION OF THIS BLOG Adrienne Shapiro and Marissa Cors are a remarkable pair by any definition. The mother and daughter duo share a common bond, and a common goal. And they are determined not to let anyone stop them achieving that goal. Marissa was born with sickle cell disease (SCD) a … Continue reading Mother and daughter team up to fight bias and discrimination in treatment for people with sickle cell disease
Yesterday, the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) awarded $8.39 million to UC San Francisco to launch a clinical trial for sickle cell disease. CIRM also awarded $51.08 million to fifteen California community colleges and universities to support undergraduate and master’s programs that train future stem cell researchers. Sickle Cell Trial … Continue reading Board Funds Fifteen Bridges to Stem Cell Research and Therapy Programs Across California and New Sickle Cell Disease Trial
Nancy M. Rene Dear CIRM, World Sickle Cell Day is this Saturday June 19th. The goal of this day is to raise awareness of the disease and the challenges people face. I greet this day with mixed feelings. I am grateful to CIRM for its work toward a cure. I applaud the doctors, researchers, and … Continue reading An Open Letter to CIRM for World Sickle Cell Day