Stem cell stories that caught our eye: glowing stem cells and new insights into Zika and SCID

Here are some stem cell stories that caught our eye this past week. Some are groundbreaking science, others are of personal interest to us, and still others are just fun. Glowing stem cells help scientists understand how cells work. (Karen Ring) It’s easy to notice when something is going wrong. It’s a lot harder to … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: glowing stem cells and new insights into Zika and SCID

Stem cell stories that caught our eye: How Zika may impact adult brains; Move over CRISPR there’s a new kid in town; How our bodies store fat

Here are some stem cell stories that caught our eye this past week. Some are groundbreaking science, others are of personal interest to us, and still others are just fun. Zika virus could impact adult brains It’s not just a baby’s developing brain that is vulnerable to the Zika virus, adult brains may be too. … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: How Zika may impact adult brains; Move over CRISPR there’s a new kid in town; How our bodies store fat

IMAGINE Curing Disease and Saving Lives: BIO 2016 Part 1

Did you hear that? It’s the sound of more than 15,000 people taking a collective breath. That’s because we are now at the halfway point of the 2016 BIO International Convention, the world’s largest biotechnology gathering with over 900 speakers, 180 company presentations, 19 education tracks, 6 super sessions, and 35,000 partnering meetings. Now that’s … Continue reading IMAGINE Curing Disease and Saving Lives: BIO 2016 Part 1

UCSD scientists find new clue into how Zika virus impairs brain development

In April of this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced their conclusion that Zika virus causes microcephaly, a birth defect that results in abnormal brain development and a smaller sized head in infants. Rather than a single study being responsible for their conclusion, the CDC argued that “mounting evidence” from multiple … Continue reading UCSD scientists find new clue into how Zika virus impairs brain development

UCSF Scientists find molecular link between brain stem cells and Zika Infection

The Zika virus scare came to a head in 2015, prompting the World Health Organization to declare the outbreak a global health emergency earlier this year. From a research standpoint, much of the effort has centered on understanding whether the Zika infection is actually a cause of birth defects like microcephaly and how the virus … Continue reading UCSF Scientists find molecular link between brain stem cells and Zika Infection

CREATE-ing tools that deliver genes past the blood-brain barrier

Your brain has a natural defense that protects it from infection and harm, it’s called the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is a selectively permeable layer of tightly packed cells that separates the blood in your circulatory system from your brain. Only certain nutrients, hormones, and molecules can pass through the BBB into the brain, … Continue reading CREATE-ing tools that deliver genes past the blood-brain barrier

Stem cell stories that caught our eye: cancer fighting virus, lab-grown guts work in dogs, stem cell trial to cure HIV

Here are some stem cell stories that caught our eye this past week. Some are groundbreaking science, others are of personal interest to us, and still others are just fun. Cancer fighting virus approved for melanoma (Disclaimer: While this isn’t a story about stem cells, it’s pretty cool so I had to include it.) The … Continue reading Stem cell stories that caught our eye: cancer fighting virus, lab-grown guts work in dogs, stem cell trial to cure HIV