Blog - Page 261 of 285

Celltex versus University of Minnesota: support for Elliott and Turner

March 12, 2012 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 4 Comments

Recently, there has been a brewing controversy surrounding a journal called American Journal of Bioethics (AJOB), a company called CellTex, a bioethicist named Dr. Glenn McGee who founded and used to run AJOB until he recently resigned, and two University of Minnesota professors, Drs. Carl Elliott and Leigh Turner who have been publicly critical of […]

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Today’s shaving day for St. Baldrick’s in Sac to help kids with cancer: please pledge my student Ben

March 12, 2012 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 1 Comment

My student Ben is participating in the St. Baldrick’s fundraiser at 6pm tonight at deVere’s in Sacramento. He’s getting his head shaved to help raise money for children with cancer. Here’s Ben’s page. http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/550037/2012 Please consider a small (or large) pledge to help St. Baldrick’s help kids with cancer. If you can, please click on

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From boobs to baldness 2.0: Cosmetic stem cell clinics proliferate

March 10, 2012 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 6 Comments

A month ago I did a very widely read piece on cosmetic applications of stem cell technologies in the U.S. called “from boobs to baldness”. Many cosmetics websites asked for permission to run the piece and it was re-run in a number of languages around the world as well. It is clear there is big

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SEC rules in favor of Pepsi on bogus stem cell propaganda complaint over 293 cells

March 9, 2012 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 5 Comments

What’s the deal with the Pepsi stem cell myth? Does Pepsi have stem cells or ingredients from stem cells in it? No. Does the Pepsi corporation use embryonic stem cells to make Pepsi? No. These are myths. Nonetheless, pro-life extremists have been targeting Pepsi because of these fake connections between Pepsi and stem cells as

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The end of privacy

March 7, 2012 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 2 Comments

The era of privacy is over. People are saying this so often lately that is almost cliche, but I’m starting to believe it is true. My recent experience is illustrative and it has convinced me that privacy is indeed almost a quaint anachronism. The main instrument in the death of privacy is the Internet. For

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Stem cell myths: from Pepsi to Obama & snowflake babies

March 6, 2012 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 4 Comments

It wasn’t that long ago that I blogged about how some wacky folks were boycotting Pepsi because allegedly stem cells were involved in the production of Pepsi and its testing of sugars. You’ve heard of Diet Coke? Coke Zero & Pepsi Free? Maybe there has to be a Stem Free Pepsi? Really? Now the Washington

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Are stem cells drugs?

March 5, 2012 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 4 Comments

Are stem cells a drug? Should the FDA regulate them? Technically, the FDA calls stem cells “biologics”, but the FDA regulates stem cell products with the goal of ensuring safety and efficacy much the same as traditionally define chemical “drugs”. You can learn more about the FDA’s view of and concerns about stem cells here and here.

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Surprising results of our hours per week poll for science trainees

March 4, 2012 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D.

How many hours a week should science trainees (postdocs and graduate students) work per week? I raised this question in a poll recently (you can still vote here) and a big turnout. The results are above. The results are interesting. Nobody thought trainees should work less than 40 hours a week. Only 11% felt that

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Make a difference for kids through St. Baldrick’s

March 1, 2012 / Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 2 Comments

What is St. Baldrick’s? Thousands of kids in America get cancer each year and need our help. One of the best organizations in the world, St. Baldrick’s Foundation, is dedicated to helping these kids. This is a wonderful foundation! St. Baldrick’s describes itself as “a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find

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