A team led by Shinya Yamanaka has published a new study reporting analysis of defective induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells in the journal PNAS. Part of what I liked so much about this paper is that it tackled a very real, but controversial area of stem cell research. By this I mean the reality that a …
Review of New Yamanaka Paper on Defective iPS cells Read More »
Yesterday I posted a list of a dozen potential candidates to be considered for the position of the new CIRM President. To be clear, that list is not my list. It is also not CIRM’s list and I’m sure that CIRM’s Search Committee has its own ideas of course. The list in yesterday’s post was …
Some More Thoughts on the Search for a New CIRM President Read More »
Who might make a fantastic new CIRM President? The California stem cell community is abuzz with this question. This new President will not only lead CIRM today, but also in all likelihood will steer CIRM in its new incarnation after 2017, what I’ve called CIRM 2.0. At least that would be ideal. CIRM has posted a …
De-extinction is big right now and some of the extinct target creatures are big too like the woolly mammoth. “Let’s bring back these extinct creatures”, say proponents. Wouldn’t it be cool? I have to admit seeing a woolly mammoth, mastodon, or saber tooth tiger would be cool, but such efforts would not be without consequences …
The World Alliance Forum held a really great meeting yesterday in SF about the future of stem cells. Below, Johnathon Anderson has a great guest post summarizing the meeting. The collective brain power in the room was pretty staggering. The meeting brought together stem cell leaders from academia, industry, startup incubators and funding agencies. The purpose …
Guest Post on the Future of Stem Cells: World Alliance Forum Meeting Read More »
Recently I posted a piece on a list of stem cell journals that is growing longer by the day. Below for fun I’ve made up some new names of stem cell journals possibly of the future. I’ve also in some cases included commentary. I have a feeling that some of these may become real in coming years …
The funny list of phony & possible future stem cell journals Read More »
On November 18 in Washington, D.C. the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences will hold a workshop on stem cell therapies. The meeting (agenda here) is also co-sponsored by ISSCR. I have some major concerns about this meeting. In principle and in a general sense, I believe this is the kind of meeting and …
Puzzling Institute of Medicine stem cell workshop Read More »
There is a critical need for treatments for children with autism. 2020 update: see this more recent post on my thinking on stem cells for autism. About a year ago I wrote about a clinical trial at Sutter Health in Sacramento that was approved by the FDA for stem cells for autism. At that time …
Why I do not believe in stem cells for autism today Read More »
I have to admit a small fascination for tabloid, wildly over the top stories about stem cells. Maybe it’s just that I need a good laugh to escape the black hole of academia at times even if only momentarily? Of course some crazy stem cell stories reflect actually dangerous situations for patients, but that doesn’t …
I opened the most recent edition of Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and found a striking full-page ad from the FDA. It’s unclear if this is the first ever such advertisement. I have been unable to find a similar one on the Internet at least. Has anyone seen such ads before? The JAMA …
Full page JAMA ad from FDA warns docs on foreign drugs Read More »