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
Stem cells
Stem Cell Awareness: What are stem cells and why research is important
Have you heard of stem cells but don't know what they are or why they are essential in medical research? In celebration of Stem Cell Awareness Day, the second Wednesday in October that is dedicated to educating about the importance of stem cells, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is providing this guide on … Continue reading Stem Cell Awareness: What are stem cells and why research is important
Transformative stem cell-based treatment for Cystic Fibrosis Sinusitis
A $6 million grant to Dr. Matthew Porteus and his team at Stanford University to develop an innovative stem cell-based gene correction therapy for chronic sinusitis in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients. CF is a common genetic disease that currently lacks a cure, causing patients to spend their lives managing symptoms. Despite significant advancements in CF … Continue reading Transformative stem cell-based treatment for Cystic Fibrosis Sinusitis
CIRM’s $31 million boost for cancer and eye disease research
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) recently approved nearly $31 million in funding, further cementing our commitment to advancing the field of regenerative medicine. This substantial investment aims to drive clinical research targeting various cancers and eye diseases. CIRM’s dedication to fostering innovative treatments is demonstrated through its clinical program, which funds eligible stem … Continue reading CIRM’s $31 million boost for cancer and eye disease research
Former CIRM Bridges Intern Receives Rising Black Scientist Award
Photo Credit: California State University, San Marcos. Cal State San Marcos student Kevin Brown Jr., a former CIRM Bridges intern, has won the Rising Black Scientist Award from Cell Press, Cell Signaling Technology, and the Elsevier Foundation. Brown was selected from more than 350 applicants across multiple scientific fields. Applicants were asked to share their … Continue reading Former CIRM Bridges Intern Receives Rising Black Scientist Award
CIRM invests $2.7 million in research to develop stem cell-based tendon tissue for shoulder injuries
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) awarded Scripps Health a $2.7 million research grant to support research into using stem cells to engineer rotator cuff tendons in the laboratory and repair common shoulder injuries. The rotator cuff consists of four muscles and their attached tendons. Together, they hold the upper arm in the shoulder … Continue reading CIRM invests $2.7 million in research to develop stem cell-based tendon tissue for shoulder injuries
Meshing a passion for medicine with stem cell research
Kevin Brown is an adventurer at heart. As a pre‑med student, he found a way to combine his passion for neuroscience with his drive to explore through scientific research. A 2022 graduate of CIRM’s Bridges to Stem Cell Research and Therapy Program, Kevin says the experience let him merge his interest in medicine with his … Continue reading Meshing a passion for medicine with stem cell research
Investing in stem cell and gene therapy treatments for HIV
A recent article in Nature shared the news about a 53-year-old man in Germany who was declared free of HIV after receiving virus-resistant cells. The man—referred to as the “Düsseldorf patient”—was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and underwent a stem cell transplant in 2013 that replaced his bone marrow cells with HIV-resistant stem cells from … Continue reading Investing in stem cell and gene therapy treatments for HIV
Finding a treatment for Tay Sachs disease
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has awarded $4,048,253 to Dr. Joseph Anderson and his team at UC Davis to develop a blood stem cell gene therapy for the treatment of Tay-Sachs disease. Tay-Sachs disease is a rare genetic disorder where a deficiency in the Hex A gene results in excessive accumulation of … Continue reading Finding a treatment for Tay Sachs disease
CIRM funds clinical trial for safer cancer therapy
Blood stem cell transplant after high‑dose chemotherapy is standard care and can be curative for aggressive lymphoma. However, this approach often causes severe toxicity and life‑threatening complications due to delayed blood system recovery and vascular damage. Today, the CIRM Board funded a Phase 3 clinical trial to advance a safer, more tolerable alternative. CIRM Funding … Continue reading CIRM funds clinical trial for safer cancer therapy