Dr. Noriyuki Kasahara of UCSF has received $11.8 million from CIRM to target newly diagnosed high‑grade gliomas. These aggressive brain and spinal cord cancers are extremely hard to treat. The grant supports research on DB107, formerly Toca 511, an innovative gene therapy that selectively targets tumor cells. The therapy delivers an enzyme that converts a … Continue reading Gene therapy trial tests cancer-killing virus in brain tumors
UC San Francisco
Update on SCID patient enrolled in CIRM-funded gene therapy trial
Photo credit: UCSF Hataalii Tiisyatonii Begay (HT) is paving the road for newborns with SCID. When HT was born in 2018 in a remote part of the Navajo nation, he was quickly diagnosed with a rare and -usually fatal- condition. Today, thanks to a therapy developed at UCSF and funded by CIRM, he’s a healthy … Continue reading Update on SCID patient enrolled in CIRM-funded gene therapy trial
Myocarditis in Cancer Patients Is Driven by Specific Immune Cells
In a new study, researchers from UC San Francisco and Vanderbilt University Medical Center have identified specific immune cells that cause a potentially lethal heart inflammation -called myocarditis- in a small fraction of patients treated with powerful cancer immunotherapy drugs. Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle. It can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, … Continue reading Myocarditis in Cancer Patients Is Driven by Specific Immune Cells
CIRM Board Approves Funding for New Clinical Trial Targeting Brain Tumors
The governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has awarded almost $12 million to carry out a clinical trial targeting brain tumors. This brings the total number of CIRM funded clinical trials to 83. $11,999,984 was awarded to Dr. Jana Portnow at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope. They are using Neural stem … Continue reading CIRM Board Approves Funding for New Clinical Trial Targeting Brain Tumors
The long road to developing a therapy for epilepsy
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST Good science takes time. That’s an important guiding phrase for researchers looking to develop new therapies. But it’s also a frustrating reality for patients who are waiting for something to help them now. That point was driven home last week when the governing board of the … Continue reading The long road to developing a therapy for epilepsy
CIRM-Funded Study of Deadly Immune Disorder Gets Boost from FDA
Hataalii Begay, age 4, first child treated with UCSF gene therapy for Artemis-SCID When Hataalii Begay was born in a remote part of the Navajo nation he was diagnosed with a rare, usually fatal condition, Artemis-SCID. New stem cell therapy Today, thanks to a therapy developed at UCSF and funded by CIRM, he's a normal healthy … Continue reading CIRM-Funded Study of Deadly Immune Disorder Gets Boost from FDA
CIRM Board gives thumbs up to training and treatment programs
THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST CIRM Bridges student discusses her poster presentation At CIRM, the bread and butter of what we do is funding research and hopefully advancing therapies to patients. But the jam, that's our education programs. Helping train the next generation of stem cell and gene therapy scientists is … Continue reading CIRM Board gives thumbs up to training and treatment programs
SPARKing the genius of the next generation of scientists
Dr. Kelly Shepard, SPARK program director After almost 18 months – and counting – that have put us all to the test, made us wear masks, work from home, limit contact with all but the closest of family and friends it’s a wonderful thing to be able to get a glimpse of the future and … Continue reading SPARKing the genius of the next generation of scientists
Gene therapy is life-changing for children with a life-threatening brain disorder
If you have never heard of AADC deficiency count yourself lucky. It’s a rare, incurable condition that affects only around 135 children worldwide but it’s impact on those children and their families is devastating. The children can’t speak, can’t feed themselves or hold up their head, they have severe mood swings and often suffer from … Continue reading Gene therapy is life-changing for children with a life-threatening brain disorder
Latest CIRM TRAN1 awards focus on CAR-based cell therapy to treat cancer
Earlier this week the CIRM ICOC Board awarded $14.5 million to fund three translational stage research projects (TRAN1), whose goal is to support early development activities necessary for advancement to a clinical study or broad end use of a potential therapy. Although all three projects have their distinct area of focus, they all utilize CAR-based … Continue reading Latest CIRM TRAN1 awards focus on CAR-based cell therapy to treat cancer