BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics is developing Nurown, an investigational therapy intended for treating ALS. I recently posted about BrainStorm and its prospects for providing real hope on stem cells for ALS. I see it as a long shot. The ALS community needs real hope, but one challenge is determining how good clinical data have to be to …
BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Hail Mary with FDA on Nurown for ALS Read More »
It feels like we are marching towards a future in which key aspects of human reproduction, including the use of artificial wombs, could be substantially different than for most of history. The FDA is considering allowing a clinical trial for use of artificial wombs in people. Human trials of artificial wombs could start soon. Here’s …
Weekly reads: artificial wombs, mice with rat brains, Neuralink Read More »
The New York Times just broke a story on Burst Biologics and Weill Cornell that fits with long-standing troubling questions about regenerative biologics producers. The story also bears on the doctors and hospitals like Weill Cornell that were or are customers of the suppliers. Further, what is the FDA’s role in all of this? The …
Burst Biologics unapproved biologic used by Weill Cornell: was there a cover-up? Read More »
Epigenetic reprogramming is a term used in cell biology that is increasingly ending up in news stories too. Unfortunately, some folks, especially in the cellular rejuvenation and anti-aging space, are getting this term and other things confused. Just to start off, epigenetic reprogramming does not specifically mean cellular rejuvenation. The goal of today’s post is …
Defining epigenetic reprogramming, cellular reprogramming & rejuvenation Read More »
Retraction Watch has been a great resource for those of us who have been following research misconduct. They widely cover and conduct research on retractions, corrections, and other developments in this space. Unfortunately, there’s been plenty to write about even just within the stem cell and cell therapy arena, which is my primary interest. Think …
A patient who got scientifically unproven and non-FDA-approved stem cells from Dr. Alvaro Skupin, filed suited against him, his wife who is often known as Doctora Nancy or Dra Nancy Alvarez, and associated businesses. These firms include the stem cell clinic known as Mother Stem Cell Institute in Florida, where the injections apparently took place. …
Suit against Dr. Alvaro Skupin & Dra Nancy Alvarez over blinding at clinic is settled Read More »
Being in a research lab feels like hanging out in a second home to me. Maybe that’s because I’ve spent more than half of my life working in labs. Being a scientist has its challenges. However, at times it’s very exciting such as when a discovery is made. The lab can kind of buzz with …
Strangest things I’ve seen & heard in research lab Read More »
CRISPR gene editing has made rapid progress heading from bench to bedside. Perhaps the fastest has been its progress toward clinical use to combat sickle cell disease. We’ll start with a new paper on one major effort here. CRISPR gene editing. This process often involves cutting DNA, which then can be used as an opening to …
Weekly reads: CRISPR sickle cell, Parkinson’s, pig-human chimera concerns Read More »
An important appeals case is pending not just for the defendants Cell Surgical Network, et al., but also for the FDA. It could impact the stem cell field very broadly too. Cell Surgical Network lawsuit status Hopefully, we’ll get a decision before the end of this year. Cell Surgical Network is a large chain of …
Goldwater Institute weighs in against FDA on Cell Surgical Network lawsuit appeal Read More »
Many of us first became aware of Vivek Ramaswamy as a Republican candidate for President. He was most well-known prior to that as a biotech leader. Given that biotech background, I decided to learn more about him. Surprisingly, his biomedical efforts may have started with stem cells. That caught my attention. This was way back during …
Vivek Ramaswamy & his surprising stem cell start Read More »