I just published a paper in Stem Cells Translational Medicine on my experience traveling to and attending a stem cell clinic patient recruitment seminar. It was an intense experience and one where I felt at risk. To some extent it is akin to going into the lion’s den. I didn’t know what reaction I would […]
The stem cell hard sell: my new paper in Stem Cells Translational Medicine Read More »
When potentially game changing new technologies are reported such as NgAgo gene editing, both scientists and the public get excited, but especially if such new reports stem from a single paper it is wise to take a cautious approach for a while. The key question is whether the new findings will turn out to be
Nature Biotechnology looking at NgAgo paper amidst reproducibility concerns Read More »
Some recent developments in the stem cell world are worth a look. I’ve posted the headlines verbatim and the links to some of these stem cell news bites below. NIH Plans To Lift Ban On Research Funds For Part-Human, Part-Animal Embryos. NIH may allow funding of human-animal chimeras in certain cases. Stem cell ‘tourists’ flock to
Stem cell news bites: chimeras, Australian clinics, organoids & more Read More »
By Gaetan Burgio CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing has dramatically changed our way to perform biological experiments. While highly efficient and easy to use, one limitation with CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome editing technology is the occurrence of off-target effects and the restriction of the PAM recognition sequence. Many modifications from the original system have been proposed to improve
Gaetan Burgio New Data & Theory on NgAgo versus CRISPR Read More »
CIRM announced recently the funding of a number of exciting new studies. ViaCyte received additional funding to support its development of its hESC-based pancreatic progenitor cell product PEC-Direct clinic trials. This work is very promising. CIRM also funded additional diabetes-related research by Humacyte on engineering blood vessels for use in dialysis, which is very creative. I
Stem cell good news: CIRM funds new cutting edge studies Read More »
Does the new gene editing method NgAgo work or not? If not, what happened? The answers to both questions seem to depend on who you ask and what you read. As much as CRISPR has been the revolutionary in the genetic modification technology arena over past methods, could CRISPR itself in the next few years
Controversy over CRISPR challenger NgAgo irreproducibility reported Read More »
The local stem cell clinic here in Sacramento, Nervana Stem Cell Centers, continues to advertise treatments in The Sacramento Bee and there continue to be big questions about this situation. I’ve blogged about Nervana before and you can see the archived posts here. Nervana must be spending big money on advertising because they have run many
Nervana stem cell clinic: big ads in SacBee & big questions continue Read More »
Want $250 as well as at least a sliver of science-related glory? Within my new book GMO Sapiens on CRISPR and human genetic modification, I’ve hidden a scientific Easter egg. There’s more Easter egg info over here including the rules. If you are the first one to find and properly explain this egg to me after buying
Hint for $250 Easter egg in GMO Sapiens #CRISPR book Read More »
Professor Rudolf Jaenisch of MIT and his former postdoc/now assistant professor at The Weizmann Jacob Hanna have gotten into a very public, stem cell skirmish over conflicting papers. Hanna raised concerns over a Jaenisch lab paper and things have escalated from there. This mess is playing out before our eyes on PubMed (there was a comment from Hanna
Public stem cell skirmish erupts between Hanna & Jaenisch Read More »
That much-anticipated public FDA stem cell meeting that was postponed from April will now take place in September and will have a much larger array of diverse speakers. Many more voices at an FDA stem cell meeting are collectively a good thing, but delay is not. The large and growing U.S. stem cell clinic industry makes
September FDA stem cell meeting looks to be big debate Read More »