Month: September 2011

A layman’s guide to stem cell epigenetics: if you don’t understand epigenetics you don’t know stem cells

I know you care about stem cells and research, but do you know much about epigenetics? You should. If you do not understand epigenetics then you do not understand stem cells. Don’t be put off by the complicated sounding name “epigenetics”. It’s really simple conceptually and below is your easy-to-understand guide. Epigenetics controls nearly every …

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New This Week In Stem Cells Podcast

Hi everyone, I’ve recorded a new stem cell podcast for the past week. Topics include the first patient in a CIRM-supported clinical trial, a proteomics paper on iPS and ES cells, stem cell tourism, the CIRM grantee meeting, and big tent team science amongst others.

Stem cell grapevine gone wild: Did football star get an iPS cell transplant and has the first human been cloned?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nWsanSmAxw The stem cell field is exciting and the technology powerful. Not surprisingly there is a great deal of intense behind the scenes rumors about various hard to believe developments and news stories that also seem incredible. One such line of gossip was that the FBI was poised to crack down much more severely on …

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The news of CIRM and clinical trial: don’t forget the patient

As much as so many were excited yesterday about the enrollment of the first patient in a CIRM-funded clinical trial, I did not see a mention of a very important element. The patient. Our excitement about the clinical trial moving forward is understandable, but we also need to keep a sober perspective on the fact …

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Some perspectives on CIRM funding for first clinical trial patient

Today marked a major milestone as the Geron spinal cord injury clinical trial, supported by CIRM funding, using human embryonic stem cell-derived oligodendrocyte precursor cells enrolled its first patient in California supported. CIRM funding = clinical trials progressing and patients treated. Many major media outlets covered the story including the North County Times in this …

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Stem cell opponents appeal federal ruling: what does this mean?

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Drs. James Sherley and Theresa Deisher are the two adult stem cell researchers who sued the federal government over federal funding of ESC research. They claimed that NIH funding of ESC research violated the law and also was unfair to them. This case has been bouncing around in various courts over the last couple years …

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Science street smarts: how to succeed in science in the real world

Some of the smartest people I have ever met in my life were scientists. But some of these same people made the dumbest mistakes I have ever seen in my life. Why? Their raw brainpower and knowledge of science is amazing, but they seemed to lack common sense and what I would call “science street …

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Sports stars, Rick Perry, stem cells: how many more people will die?

Another sports stars has been publicly “outed” as having received a non-FDA approved stem cell therapy in a foreign country. First, the big news earlier this year in June was that NY Yankees Pitcher Bartolo Colon had received a stem cell treatment. Then we all heard that Texas Governor and, at the moment, leading GOP …

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Republicans go after hESC research again: seek to “prioritize” (aka politicize) stem cell research

According to the Hill, Republicans have introduced legislation that would require “prioritization” of stem cell research by the Secretary of Health and Human Resources. Digging into the details, “prioritize” in this case means kicking hESC research to the back of the line so by “prioritize” what they really mean is politicize. The bill, sponsored by …

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