Cancer patients and their doctors face daunting challenges at the time of diagnosis. Many crucial questions either cannot be answered or rely upon relatively low-tech methods whose accuracy is far from ideal. For example, how aggressive is this tumor? Has it already spread? After diagnosis and initial treatment, it is critical to monitor patients for …
One in a billion: finding stray cancer stem cells Read More »
For many reasons, we have switched our blog to WordPress. We are still ironing out some kinks, but using WordPress will include many improvements! Paul
As the year comes to a close this week, it is a good time to look back on 2010 and consider the major events in the stem cell field and give out awards. Stem Cell Event of the Year. I would give this award as a dual prize to Geron and Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) …
My lab studies iPS cells. We are excited about iPS cells and they have enormous potential. However, there are some realities about iPS cells related to safety that impede our ability to use them to treat patients any time soon. We must solve these roadblocks before we can move forward, but interestingly, these facts are …
The DC Appeals Court hears oral arguments today in the case over whether the federal government can legally fund embryonic stem cell (ESC) research. At stake are dozens of research projects that could provide treatments or cures for millions of Americans. Reportedly, an amicus brief to the court has been filed on behalf of Associate …
I first published this a year ago, but with the 2012 election coming up, I think it is even more relevant today. In the debate over funding for embryonic stem cell research, it is usually assumed that Democrats are in favor of embryonic stem cell research and that Republicans are opposed. But recent polls suggest …
Sheng Ding’s lab reports today in Cell Stem Cell (you can read it here) that they have replaced all genetic factors in a new iPS cell reprogramming method except Oct4. The other factors were replaced by chemical compounds. Thus, we continue a major transition in the iPS cell field away from genes and toward chemicals. …
From genes to chemicals: iPS cell field, reprogramming in transition Read More »
It happens several times a month these days. Some new, interesting paper comes out on IPS cells or on transdifferentiation. Immediately, opponents of ES cell research criminally twist the findings in the new paper and produce ‘news’ headlines that pop up high on Google to the effect that ES cells are now ‘obsolete’. IPS cells …
What is the best way to get new stem cell-based therapies to the millions of patients who need help? I would argue that this is the key question in the field of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Sometimes I think it is easy for folks to lose sight of that and fall into traps. …
From Point A to Point Z: thinking outside the box about stem cells Read More »
It has been a rollercoaster few months between the anti-hESC court cases as well as Geron and Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) receiving the OK from the FDA to proceed with initial clinical trials of stem cell treatments. It’s OK to be excited about the clinical trials and I for one am, but we have to …
Challenges translating stem cell treatments to patients Read More »